Interns and Geniuses
by NatalieChapa918
Summary: Ryley, the BAU's new intern, seems to understand Dr. Spencer Reid better than his own team. A relationship grows between the two as Ryley defends him and fights for her own place and understanding among the team. PLEASE READ AUTHOR'S NOTE INSIDE! Rated M for language and possible future smut.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

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_**Author's Note: I have no idea what's going on with story. I really don't. I wish I could tell you that I spent weeks thinking of this story and it all makes perfect sense, but it doesn't. It just popped into my head one day and I couldn't work on anything else until I started writing it out. It was only recently that I was able to stop so I can keep working on my other fanfics and my originals. I warn you now, it's probably bad. I can't be objective about it because I think everything I write is patooky, so it will be up to you to judge. Here are some things I do know. The plot is hazy, even to me, except for the growing relationship between Reid and my OFC (Ryley). The characters swim between canon and major OOC behavior, oh, and there is some crack humor later on. At least I think of it as crack humor. What else do you call Hotch and Rossi agreeing to be dressed up in Goth get-up and talking like twins? Oh, and the chapter lengths fluctuate. Some are over 3,000 words, a couple barely break 100. If you don't think you can handle any of this, turn back now!**_

_**Rated M for language, for now. There might me hetero later on. I don't know. Depends on my mood when I write.**_

_**To all those awesome people who are reading my other works, I AM NOT abandoning "Grey" or "Finding Yourself". In fact, as soon as I finish posting what I have of this story, I'm going to start working on them again. I just couldn't focus on anything until I got this out.**_

_**This story IS a work in progress. It is not finished by any means. I'm not sure when I'll update again, but it's already over 30,000 words so I hope I've given you plenty for now.**_

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"How can you stand to listen to him go on like that?" Morgan asked, plopping down to the BAU's newest intern.

Ryley Caruso was a Criminology major at Georgetown and had landed the coveted position in the BAU through hard work and subtle begging of her soon-to-be aunt, Penelope Garcia. Feeling guilty about using her one connection to get in never even crossed her mind. Ryley knew she was the best in her class and that she'd work the hardest at this job. Besides, she'd spent too many years listening to Penny go on and on about the team not to meet them and see if everything she said was true.

So far, it was. Hotch was definitely Superman. And Prentiss would make an excellent Wonder Woman. Rossi was Iron Man, through and through. And yeah, Ryley could definitely see Morgan as Batman. JJ was definitely the mother hen of them all, working in the background to make sure they were all safe and cared for, and Reid…Reid was Reid. There were no superheroes to compare Reid to because Reid was a superhero in his own right. Then again, they all were, technically. Every day Ryley was amazed at the work they did and the lives they saved. There simply weren't words to describe it.

"Who?" Ryley asked, wincing as she flicked a curl over her shoulder. She had let Penny do her hair before coming on this latest trip and the curls were starting to bug her. Ryley longed for her naturally stick-straight hair. Thank god this was only a temporary perm.

Morgan laughed and ruffled the coal-black locks. "Our resident genius. You know, the tall skinny kid you make calf-eyes at whenever he's not looking?"

The intern rolled her eyes and smacked Derek on the arm. "I do not make 'calf-eyes' at him. Stop exaggerating. And I can listen because it's interesting."

"It's interesting because you like him."

"It's interesting because it's new information."

"Little One, come on now. Lie to someone who's not your cuddle-buddy at Garcia's. You like him."

Ryley glared at the "Chocolate Adonis" (as Penny called him) on her left. "He's my friend. Just like you or Rossi or Hotch."

"Yeah, except you don't want to sleep with me or Rossi or Hotch." Morgan returned gently.

"Nope. But that's beside the point." The intern leveled her amber eyes at the man sitting next to her. "I like listening to him because it's interesting. And you above all people should know how much I like to learn. How many times this summer have you and Penny teased me about blocking out the world while I read one book after another? And how many of those nights that you were my 'cuddle-buddy', as you call it, was because I got home late from one lecture or another and didn't feel like kicking you off my bed? How many times have I dragged you to museums and exhibits with me because Uncle Kevin is paranoid and doesn't like me going alone?"

Morgan paused for a moment, glaring down at her. "So your saying you have no romantic feelings whatsoever for the good doctor?"

Ryley nodded. "Essentially."

"And that the only reason you can listen to him ramble on about anything under the sun is because you like to learn."

"Yep."

Morgan leaned close. "Then explain this to me. The other morning when I tried getting out of bed, why did you cling tighter and whisper 'Spence'?"

He laughed as he walked away from the furiously blushing intern. He'd been saving that card for a couple days now. Henry was sick, so JJ had stayed behind and they'd had to drag Ryley along to cover all the work JJ did behind the scenes. Ryley had managed surprisingly well for a twenty-three year old intern with no background in communications. Still, Derek hadn't wanted to have the girl distracted and worrying he'd out her little crush to the team during a case, so he'd held off shocking her with news until now. Now, however, it was going to be fun to watch Ryley squirm for the rest of the flight.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

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Ryley groaned and thunked her head on the table. She had been up for three days, obsessing over the case files. She had held the hands of parents and spouses whose loved ones had been murdered. She had watched in fear as the UnSub swung his gun on Reid, threatening to shoot him, before Morgan fired two rounds into the man's shoulder. All she wanted to do was get home, take a long hot shower, go to sleep, and pray to God there'd be no nightmares.

What she did not want to do is worry about Morgan teasing her for the next God-only-knows-how-long about her stupid crush on Reid. That's all it was. A stupid crush. He was smart (duh!), funny (in an awkwardly endearing, geeky sort of way), and handsome (have you seen that man's eyes?!). Not to mention he was tall and lanky, which was just Ryley's type physically. It was pretty much impossible for her not to have a crush on him. She'd get over it time though, just like she always did. A scholarship kid going to Georgetown doesn't exactly have a lot of time for dating. She'd learned early on in freshman year that she could date or keep her GPA. She chose her GPA.

A cup of coffee slid in front of her from seemingly nowhere, and she looked up, startled. Spencer cocked his head to the side. "Are you ok Ryley?"

Ryley nodded, plastering a fake smile on her face. She had completely forgotten about Reid going to get them both refills on their coffee. Morgan had disrupted that. She sent a disgruntled glare at the man in question, promising slow and painful death at the next opportunity. Derek smiled back and gave her a little wave.

"Ryley?" Spencer interrupted her musings of ways to permanently maim Derek Morgan. "Are you sure? You look like you'd like to cause Derek severe bodily injury. I saw him come over here while I was getting the coffee. Did he say something?"

"Nothing to worry about. Just teasing me about something I said in my sleep a few nights ago." The young intern replied with a grin. "Just forget about it, or, you know, push it in that deep dark corner of your eidetic memory. You were telling me about the origins behind the myths of King Arthur. I thought he was some sort of barbarian king that took over most of Northern Wales?"

Reid looked at her curiously, sure there was something more to her story, but let it go for now. Swiftly, he warmed up to their subject. "Actually, there's not a lot known about the origins of King Arthur. While most scholars agree that the likelihood of having such a forward thinking civilization at the time Arthur is purported to have reigned to be next to none…"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

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"But why is the story between Lancelot and Guinevere played up so much, while what the smarmy bastard did to Elaine is almost buried? Everyone thinks that Lancelot is just this poor guy that fell in love with the queen, but he got married and deserted his wife for Guinevere, causing said wife to commit suicide!"

"That's exactly why it's buried Ryley. Lancelot is supposed to be this good and pure knight, his only fault being in love with the Queen. It's rather hard to present that image if his backstory is well known and it's shown he drove a young lady to suicide. Not to mention, that paints Lancelot as a betrayer and most want the symbolism of King Arthur's tales to be the woman as the betrayer. Almost like a Medieval Adam and Eve with Guinevere as the apple, Eve, and the serpent, all rolled into one."

"I know I'm going to regret asking this, but what are you two talking about?" A slightly tinny sounding voice rang through the room. Reid quickly adjusted the laptop so that everyone could see Garcia, speaking to them on Skype.

"Hi Aunt Penny!" Ryley exclaimed, waving brightly. "We're talking about the way an oppressive patriarchal society down-played Lancelot's role as a betrayer long before he ever stabbed his king in the back by having an affair with Guinevere."

"Eh! I don't want to hear anything else! Do not burst my Lancelot bubble! I enjoy being able to refer to my knights in shining armor as him." Penny cried, bringing a hand up to stop anymore explanations from Ryley and Reid. She loved those two dearly, especially Ryley, but they could ruin anything.

Ryley smirked at Spencer. Under her breath she mumbled, "I'd seriously take it as an insult if she ever called me Lancelot."

Penelope glared accusingly between Reid and Ryley as they both burst out laughing. "I don't know who said what, and I don't want to know, but you young lady," The tech analyst pointed one bright pink nail at Ryley, "will pay when you get home?"

"Thai food instead of pizza?" The intern asked with a raised brow.

"Thai food instead of pizza." Penny confirmed with a smile. "Now call the rest of the team over here. I didn't Skype just to hear my favorite classic romantic character maligned. I have some good and bad news for you guys."

"What's up Baby Girl?" Morgan asked, sitting next to Ryley. The whole team had heard the conversation as soon as Garcia joined in. They were just that nosy. Prentiss slid in next to Reid, and Hotch and Rossi took up their position in the aisle, straight in front of the table.

"Do you want the good or bad news first?"

"Hit us with the bad."

"Ok then. You asked for it." Garcia gave an irritated frown. "There's a storm system over DC. You're going to have to land in Baltimore and drive the distance to Quantico."

"Perfect." Prentiss groused. "And I had a date tonight."

"Call in a rain check love. You won't be getting in until almost ten."

Hotch spoke next. "What's the good news Garcia?"

The tech analyst smiled. "Well, I talked to Strauss, and, after she viewed some footage of a certain workaholic staying up three days straight working on consults," All eyes turned to Hotch, except for Hotch's, which were looking accusingly at Morgan. Ryley was the only one not staring at the unit chief. She knew exactly who the workaholic was and wasn't saying shit. Especially since said workaholic isn't technically supposed to work on consults anyway, "and she's given you the week off! She also said to tell you that if she catches any of us, me or Ryley included, in the office before Monday, that person would be suspended without pay."

"Why me? I'm just an intern!" Ryley exclaimed, glaring at her Aunt.

"Yeah. But you're the intern to Aaron Hotchner's team of BAU profilers. If they're not there, why should you be? Plus, she's worried about your… dedication to the job." Penny replied with a pointed glare at her niece. "So you're stuck with me and Kev for the week."

"And Bobby."

Morgan's ears perked up at this. "Bobby? Who's Bobby?"

"That guy she goes clubbing with every weekend." Garcia supplied.

"Ryley goes clubbing?" Prentiss asked Reid with interest. Besides Penelope, Reid knew the intern the best.

"Wait, the Goth guy that came by last week?" Derek asked, staring at Ryley.

Reid and Ryley both laughed at the team's rabid curiosity. It was Spencer who stepped up to answer the questions. "Yes, Ryley goes clubbing most weekends with a boy from Georgetown who is Gothic. So is Ryley, on weekends at least. Or did you really think her hair was naturally that black?"

"And on that note, I'm signing off. See you at home Ry. Have Derek give you a ride. I don't want you riding the Metro that late." Garcia said with a laugh. There was so much about Ryley that her team would never guess. Not the least of which were her weekend activities. For such a talented group of profilers, they were oblivious to Ryley. Morgan had only just figured out about Ryley's crush on Reid and that was only because Ryley talks in her sleep.

Everyone said a quick goodbye to Garcia before the screen went dark, then all attention was back on Ryley. She held up her hands. "Uh-uh. I don't want to hear it! From any of you! Especially not you Emily. Pen showed me your high school year-book photo so you've got no room to talk."

"I was 16, your 23. What's your excuse?" Emily snapped back, laughter in her eyes.

"To put it simply?" Everyone nodded. "I like the music and people leave you alone if you fit in. Plus, I like the shock value."

Rossi quirked a brow at her. "Shock value?"

Ryley nodded exuberantly. "Yeah. Think about it. How do you react when you see someone dressed up in Goth attire walking down the street? You stare. You titter. You try to figure out why they dress like that. Then you start making judgments about them, expecting them to be degenerates. Then say one of them notices that and walks up to you being all nice and polite. A model citizen. It blows all your assumptions out of the water. The look on people's face when I do that to them, hilarious."

Everyone but Reid stared at her, stunned. Spencer had been with her a few of the times she'd done that, and had to agree. The resulting shock was hilarious. Finally, Morgan broke the open mouthed gaping and pulled Ryley into a hug, laughing the whole time. "You are pure evil Little One. Awesome evil. But evil nonetheless."

"Yeah yeah. You're just mad that I thought of it and you didn't." She said with a grin, nudging Morgan with her elbow. "Now that your curiosity is satisfied about what I do in free time, can Spence and I go back to talking about King Arthur?"

Slowly, the team went back to their activities from before Garcia's call. Before he left, Morgan leaned down and whispered in her ear "You know, eventually we're all going to insist on going to a Goth club with you, right?"

Ryley rolled her eyes and pushed him away. At Spencer's questioning gaze, she waved her hand in their signal that meant We'll talk about it later. "I've heard some rumors about the stories of King Arthur being used to relay traditional Christian tales during times of religious unrest in England, is that where part of the whole 'women as the betrayers' thing comes into play?"

Reid looked at her curiously before getting back into their topic. "Yes. Especially during…"


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

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Spencer Reid groaned as he finally stumbled off the jet. The flight from San Diego to Baltimore had been long, and while talking to Ryley had been fun, his knee had started to ache during the last couple hours.

Now it was just the long drive home and then he'd be able to take a couple Advil and go to sleep. He stayed away from anything that even hinted at addictive after his brush with drug addiction. Briefly, he glanced at the team's intern.

Ryley had been a surprise. He knew she was coming, and that she was Kevin's niece. She never made any bones about the fact that she asked Penelope to recommend her to Hotch for the job. She never shied away from anything the team asked her to do, even in the beginning when the more disgruntled members (Rossi & Prentiss) had assigned her the most menial tasks like getting coffee and running out to pick up lunch. Spencer had actually asked her about why she wasn't upset about them treating her like a servant. Ryley had told him that she expected it and if that's what she had to do to prove that she was willing to work and didn't expect to be treated like royalty just because she was related to Kevin, then she'd do it, no problem.

They talked a lot. About everything. If Ryley knew about the subject, she contributed everything she knew, whole-heartedly, growing more excited as the discussion went on. If she didn't, or she only had a basic idea, she asked question and listened attentively to every answer Reid gave, no matter how long or rambling. She soaked up knowledge with the same thirst that he did, even if she didn't retain every syllable like him. Ryley was the only person on the team who never seemed to be bored or annoyed by his tangents. She listened with rapt fascination until Hotch or Morgan cut him off, and then gave him a soft smile of encouragement when he felt disappointed. They would ride the Metro together after work and she would assure him that his team still cared about him, that they just had different interests than him so it was difficult for them to follow what he was saying.

It was almost inevitable that he grew… affectionate toward her. No one else on the team had ever bothered to pay attention to how he reacted when they cut him off or when they ignored him. Ryley made sure never to miss a thing. Add that to the fact that she was intelligent and beautiful and funny in a bitingly sarcastic way, who wouldn't love her.

Unfortunately, while she was his friend, and never let him forget it, he had seen the way she and Morgan interacted. They teased and flirted and even openly admitted to sharing a bed from time to time. While they never voiced their interactions going farther than physical sleeping, their body language spoke of two people physically intimate with each other. The casual touches and the way Derek never felt uncomfortable placing an arm around her shoulder or kissing her cheek in public attested to that. Reid truly believed that he could never compete against Morgan. After all, he was just the skinny boy genius, and Morgan was well… Morgan.

Shaking off the depressing thoughts of his pointless attraction to the team's intern, Reid looked around the tarmac. Sure enough, Garcia had provided two FBI-issue SUVS to take them hope. The team started to break up automatically; Reid, Morgan, and Prentiss in one vehicle, Hotch, Rossi and Ryley in the other. Normally it would be JJ with Hotch and Rossi. Spencer saw Ryley flinch slightly when she saw the arrangements. Without thinking things through, for once, he called out, "Ryley. I think Hotch and Rossi need to discuss some particulars of the case on the way back. Why don't you ride with us instead?"

Mutely, Ryley glanced at Hotch, seeking permission. After a raised eyebrow in Reid's direction for the lie, the unit chief gave a slight nod. Ryley's face broke into a wide smile and she practically skipped to the back of the SUV to stow her pack. Reid gave Hotch a small smile of thanks for going along with his ruse and followed her. Without preamble, he asked, "Why don't you like riding with Hotch and Rossi?"

Ryley shrugged, rearranging some of the bags to fit hers in. It wouldn't have been so bad if Derek hadn't insisted on bringing his normal weapons cache. "They always profile me. I'm not stupid. I know what the 'casual' questions are. It's annoying."

Reid chuckled. "They're just curious Ryley. Our team doesn't accept interns often."

"Yeah, but isn't there some ban on profiling fellow members of the team?"

"Ryley… we can't just turn off the need to study everything around us. It's part of our personalities. We can say we won't profile each other all we want, the truth of the matter is, that's all we do. It's why we work so well together. We all know each other like the back of our hands. You're the newest member and we're only starting to get to know you. They're going to profile you to try to understand you and therefore be able to work better with you." Spencer pointed out logically.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. I just wish they'd be more up front about it. It's not like I have anything to hide."

"But they don't know that. And that's part of what they're trying to find out when they study you."

"You make me sound like a dissected bug."

"Accurate description."

"Great. I've gone from intern to science experiment." Ryley said with a sarcastic grin.

Spencer laughed and nudged her lightly. "Don't feel bad. I've been with the team for six years and they still look at me like a science experiment."

"Two peas in a pod, we are, young genius." She replied, laughter dancing in her eyes as she bowed.

Reid chuckled. "Never, ever try to impersonate Yoda again. Come one. Morgan is getting impatient."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

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Ryley awoke to someone shaking her shoulder lightly. A voice seemed to come from far away. "Ryley. Ryley. Wake up. We're at Quantico. You need to wake up. Garcia is going to set out a search party of we don't get you home soon."

She groaned and snuggled into the pillow she was laying on. It was too soon to wake up. She had just gone to sleep… Right? The voice disturbed her thoughts yet again. "Come on Ryley. Wake up. Then we can take you home to your own bed. Doesn't that sound nice? A real bed instead of using me for a pillow?"

A real bed? She didn't sleep on a real bed. She slept on a pull-out at Penny's. And whatever she was laying on was more comfy. Her eyelids fluttered as she said so, trying to push past the fog in her mind in order to get the words out. Briefly, she caught a glimpse of amused hazel eyes before sleep dragged her back into its welcoming depth.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

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Spencer wanted to laugh as Ryley fell back asleep in his lap. Half-way through the trip home, her head had started dipping as she fell asleep and woke back up, repeatedly. Morgan had finally gotten tired of watching her head bob and ordered her to lie down. The back seat was small enough that her head had ended up using Reid's lap as a pillow, and he couldn't find it in himself to complain. She had looked so adorable while she was sleeping that it was impossible to feel uncomfortable at her close proximity. Instead, he simply shifted his book to one leg. No one said anything when the doctor's hand found its way to her hair and started stroking it. In fact, the only acknowledgement that it was even happening was the sly smile Morgan sent to Prentiss.

Now the beautiful intern was sound asleep and didn't appear intent on waking up any time soon. Lost, Reid looked to Derek for help, since Prentiss had lit out almost before the vehicle even stopped moving.

Derek groaned, unable to ignore the puppy-dog eyes. "Hold on a sec and I'll pick her up." The senior field agent replied. "Just let me get out bags in the truck."

"Does she really sleep on a pull-out?" Spencer asked before Morgan walked away.

Morgan nodded. "Penny doesn't exactly have a lot of space."

"Then why doesn't Ryley stay with Kevin? She's technically his niece."

"Because Kevin is over-protective." Derek replied, then smiled. "Plus, he has limited space as well. And no pull-out."

"That's bad for her back though!" Spencer exclaimed.

The muscle-bound agent laughed. "Come on man. Let me toss the bags in the truck bed. If you're so worried about her sleeping arrangements, you can let her stay at your place tonight."

Spencer sputtered. That hadn't been what he meant at all! But sleeping on pull-out couches for long periods of time could lead to spinal misalignment. That was dangerous for anyone, but especially for a future agent. Besides, shouldn't Morgan be offering to take her back to his house? The man actually had extra bedrooms, not that they'd need them with their… relationship being what it was.

Morgan was back then and gently shifting Ryley into his arms. The girl whimpered slightly and thrust a hand out as if she were searching for something. Acting on impulse for the second time that day, Reid grabbed her fingers, holding them in the palm of his hand. Ryley immediately calmed, settling into a comfortable position in Morgan's arms. Reid looked at the older man, confused. How could such a simple touch calm someone down?

Derek merely smiled and jerked his head, signaling that they should get to the truck. Still holding Ryley's fingers, Spencer nodded and followed. Something wasn't adding up.

Morgan was famously possessive of his girlfriends, the ones that actually stuck around to become girlfriends anyway. He didn't like other men so much as looking at them, much less holding their hands or letting them use someone else as a pillow. And he wouldn't have blinked twice about bringing Ryley back to his house to sleep instead of teasing Reid about letting her stay at his. Did Spencer maybe read the signs wrong and Ryley and Derek were truly just friends? If that was the case, did he actually have a chance? Looking at it objectively, without Derek in the equation, Ryley did express some signs of attraction toward him. Perhaps it wasn't such a hopeless crush after all. Still,

Still, he had to know for sure about her and Derek. He had heard rumors that when you found "the one" you behaved differently with them than you did in past relationships. Perhaps that's what was going on with Derek and not that the older field agent wasn't in a relationship with the intern he was currently carrying. Remembering Ryley's words about wishing members of the team would be more direct, Reid tried that approach. Morgan nearly dropped Ryley in response.

"Jesus man! Hold on! Let me get her in the truck before you ask me that shit!" Derek exclaimed, jiggling Ryley lightly to keep her safe. Reid opened the door for him and Morgan sat her gently in the seat, buckling her seat belt. As soon as Reid had let go of Ryley's hand, the girl began to whimper and thrash again. Morgan pushed Reid toward the cab. "Get in and let her get to you before she hurts herself. I'll answer your question on the way."

Spencer nodded and jumped in the cab, pulling Ryley closer to him and sighing with her when she settled against his side, head on his shoulder and hand fisted in his shirt. Morgan smiled at the sight. They were really cute like that.

The older man got into the driver's side and started the car. As they pulled away, he finally spoke. "Now what did you ask me?"

Spencer winced, but repeated the question. "Are you and Ryley involved in a romantic relationship."

"Reid, if Ryley was my girl, she wouldn't be hanging all over you like that."

"But the flirting. And touching. And you have both admitted to sharing a bed."

"Yeah. We flirt and touch just like I do with Garcia. Little One there is like a niece to me. And yes, we've slept together. Literally slept. Anytime I go out and get drunk but don't score, or there's a party at Baby Girl's and I stay too late, Ryley puts up with me sharing the pull-out with her. A couple times it'll be something like she comes home late and I'm around sleeping in her bed, so she just crawls in with me. But the most we ever do is cuddle. And that's just because it's a natural sleeping position for us." Morgan replied, shaking his head as he took the on-ramp to the freeway.

"So you haven't…"

"Bumped uglies? No. And we never will. Seriously, the kid is like family. I'm getting the grossed out just thinking about it." He gave a false shudder, making Reid laugh. "So seriously man, Garcia's place or yours?"

Reid looked down at the mop of black curls resting on his shoulder. Since acting on impulse had helped him twice today, he decided to try for a third. "My place. I'll call Garcia when we get there."

Morgan smiled at the genius's initiative. "Don't worry about Baby Girl. I'll take care of her. And she'll take care of Kevin. You just take care of Little One. She's completely zonked."

Spencer nodded, laying his head on top of Ryley's. He really needed to ask her why she was so tired. When he wasn't so tired himself.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

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Ryley woke up and stretched. She had felt this good since she moved out of Bobby's at the beginning of the summer. She loved her friend, but he kept the weirdest hours and had far too many people coming and going at all hours. And the parties! She couldn't count the number of times some drunk guy had stumbled into her room by mistake, thinking it was a bathroom. Penny's had been a blessing, even if she did have to sleep on a pull-out.

Slowly opening her eyes, she looked around the room, and instantly freaked out. This was not Penny's! Or Bobby's! Or Uncle Kevin's! Where the fuck was she? She swung her legs over the side of the bed, absently noticing that she was still in the same clothes from yesterday, minus her shoes, and desperately trying to remember what happened and whose house she was in.

It slowly came back. She remembered falling asleep on the trip home and Morgan ordering her to lie down and go to sleep. She remembered someone trying to wake her up, and she remembered feeling like someone was carrying her. She'd been scared until someone grabbed her hand, and then she calmed down. She remembered being carried again, and soft laughs as someone tucked her into… into the soft warm bed she'd just woken up in. The laughter had definitely been male. That ruled out Prentiss. Reid or Morgan then.

The room was messy, with books stacked everywhere and a pile of button-ups and sweater vests in a corner. Reid then. Ryley's heart beat a little faster. Then she smacked herself on the head. She talked in her sleep. Oh dear god, please don't let me have said anything last night! Or at least nothing embarrassing!

A soft cough interrupted her internal agonizing, and Ryley looked up to see Reid shifting uncomfortably in the doorway. "I thought I heard you up." He said quietly. "I… Umm… I've got some coffee made in the kitchen if you want some. And I went out and got some of that peppermint mocha creamer you like. It's actually not that bad, though I still say that French vanilla is better. Still, I seem to like things sweeter than you do and you also seem to have this unhealthy obsession with anything mint flavored and scented. Even your shampoo smells like mint and… and lemongrass. It's a nice scent actually. I think you use a lotion and body spray that smells like it too, because you always seem to smell like it and shampoo doesn't last that long and-"

Ryley's laugh cut him off. She hadn't meant to let the near hysterical giggle escape, she just couldn't help it. She'd just slept… Ryley glanced at the clock. It was nearing eight a.m. and Penny had said they'd get in around ten… so somewhere around ten hours in her crush's bed and now said crush was standing in the doorway rambling about the perfume she used. It was hard not to be slightly hysterical. "Umm… Thank you… I think." She finally managed. "And I'd love some coffee. Just… where are my shoes?"

"Oh! Your shoes are by the door. So is your go bag. Do you want me to go get them for you?"

Ryley nodded, then remembered she only had a clean pair of jeans and underwear in there. Great. "Umm… Spence?" The genius looked at questioningly, half-turned to go get her things. "I… umm… Would you mind if I borrowed a shirt? I don't have one clean and-"

"No problem Ryley. I'll get you one from the closet when I bring in your bag. Do you… do you need anything else?" Spencer was blushing at the end and she realized he was asking if she needed undergarments.

She quickly shook her head. "No. I'm good on that front. But can I use your shower?" She grimaced. "I'm feeling a little grimy."

Reid nodded quickly. "Yeah. I'll show you where it is when I bring your things back. There's extra towels in there and everything so…"

"Yeah. Thanks Spence."

"You're welcome Ryley."

He walked out of the room to go get her bag and Ryley shifted uncomfortably on the bed. It's not like it was the first time she'd woken up in a strange house before, but these were not the usual circumstances. And Spencer was such a private person. She didn't want to walk around and possibly offend him. Actually, she didn't know what to do with herself at all. She should really call Penny. The tech analyst was probably worried sick. But her phone was in her go-bag. Which Reid was getting. There went that idea.

Instead of getting up and walking around, she continued to sit on the bed and look. Books were everywhere, on every surface. She saw classics, textbooks, user manuals, and, Ryley giggled, was that Twilight?

You've got to be kidding me. She thought with a jolt. Spence can't be a Twihard.

Unable to stop herself, she walked over and picked up the book. Unlike the rest of Spencer's books, the spine seemed to have been barely cracked. The corners were still sharp, not soft and worn like most of the books he had let her borrow, and there were no notes in the margins. She had no doubt that he's read it, but obviously not more than once. Ryley breathed out a sigh of relief. Not a Twihard then. Thank god.

"JJ and Prentiss insisted I read that to become more up to date on popular culture." Spencer said from the doorway, smiling when a startled Ryley jumped slightly.

She quickly put the book down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snoop. I just saw the book lying there and-"

"Became curious?" He asked with an arched eyebrow. Reid nodded toward the book. "The plot was good, but the characters are shallow and clichéd. Good for teenagers, but I fail to see what so many adults see in it."

Ryley nodded, shifting from foot to foot awkwardly. "I didn't mind the books so much. Good mindless reading. But I hated the movies."

"I can honestly say I've never been forced into that particular hell before." Spencer replied with a smile. "And I don't mind you looking around."

Ryley gave him a shy smile. "I really am sorry Spence."

"It's fine Ryley. Would you still like to take a shower?" She nodded, eyes still cast down. Spencer sighed and set her go-bag by the door. He walked over to the closet and grabbed a plain black button-up from the back. "Come on. I'll show you where the bathroom is."

She followed him silently to the bathroom, picking her go bag up from the floor as she passed by. Slipping into the bathroom with a grateful smile, she closed and locked the door behind her. This was bad. This was really, really bad. Penny was going to kill her. She was going to kill herself. Oh god! Penny! Uncle Kevin! She needed to call them! They were probably going two-steps shy of mental by now!

Ryley fished through her duffel and grabbed her cell phone at the bottom. She flipped through her contacts and briefly debated who to call first. Penelope. She'd be easier to deal with than Uncle Kevin. Kevin could be down-right unreasonable when it came to her. Ryley felt sorry for any cousins she might eventually have. Quickly, she pressed the call button before she could change her mind and waited with held breath while it rang?

"Hello?" Penelope's sleepy voice filtered through the phone. Ryley felt like jumping for joy. Maybe Penny had already been asleep when the team got home last night and didn't know she hadn't come home yet.

"Hey Pen. It Ryley."

"I love you my gorgeous niece, but this better be good."

"I was just calling to let you know that I got home safe. Apparently I fell asleep on the way from Baltimore and-"

"Reid let you stay at his place because A) he doesn't like the fact that you sleep on a pull-out and B) you whined and cried every time you had to let go of him. I know. Derek called last night and told me."

"Yeah. I… Wait. I what?"

"Oh." Penny sounded anything but shocked. Actually, the damn woman sounded amused. "I guess you don't remember that part. Yeah. Apparently, first you refused to wake up and told the boy genius he was more comfy than my pull-out. Something I should be very offended by, by the way. Then you would moan and squirm whenever you stopped touching him. Derek said it was actually really cute."

Ryley groaned and thunked her head against the bathroom counter. "Great. Just fucking perfect. Well that's goddamned fucking wonderful."

"Go on Ry. Tell me how you really feel."

"Shut up Pen."

Penelope laughed, sounding more awake. "Oh you haven't even heard the best part yet. Reid apparently thought you and Derek were sleeping together."

"Like sleeping-together-what-we-do sleeping together? Or sleeping-together sleeping together?"

"Sleeping-together sleeping together."

"Why the fuck would he think that?!" Ryley screeched, wanting to hit her head against the counter again. If it wasn't for fear of a concussion, she would.

Garcia laughed. "Something about the way he flirts with you."

"Yeah. But he flirts with you like too, and no one think he's fucking you!"

"I have Kevin. And everyone knows that what Morgan and I have is all for show. We flirt a lot, but I prefer my men nerdy, not cut. And he prefers his women more…"

"Bar-flyish?" Ryley supplied.

Penny sighed. "I was going to say less complicated, but yeah, that description works just as well."

"Well I'm not exactly a bar-fly Pen. Hell, he didn't even know I'd go clubbing with my friends until yesterday."

"Yeah. But you've definitely got the build he prefers."

"Huh?"

"Curvy Ry. He likes curves, and you've got them. By the truck-load. You're a friggin' hourglass kid."

"Yippee. Morgan is like an uncle to me. Hell, he's old enough to be my uncle. That's just creepy."

"Does anyone else know that? It's not like you two call each other uncle and niece. You just flirt and tease."

Ryley groaned. "You know what. This is getting too uncomfortable for words. I'm going to take a shower and then head home. I'll see you in a couple hours Penny."

"Oh. Taking a shower at the hunky doctor's. Is he joining you?"

"No. We'll talk about it when I get home Pen. I love you. See you soon."

"Bye my über shy lovely. See you in a few hours. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. And don't worry. I won't tell your uncle."

"Pen! It's not like that! Pen?" Ryley shook her head in disgust at the "Call Ended" screen. "Great."

She tossed the phone back in her bag and turned on the water taps, letting the water adjust before she flipped on the shower. This was not what she needed to deal with right now. She still had a year of school to go before she got her Master's degree and wanted to get her Doctorate's on top of that. This full-time internship was only for the summer and she'd only get the part-time one for during the school year if she made a good impression on Hotchner. Something that would only happened if she worked her tail off and proved herself indispensable to the team. Which was why she had been happily accepting some of the simple consults JJ slid her under the table. The team was overran with them, and if Ryley could prove that she could handle taking on some of the easier requests they got. the ones for cold cases or copycats of a major crime in the area, she hoped to earn her permanent position as the team's intern.

What could permanently fuck that up was if it got back to Hotch, or, god forbid, the entire damn team that she was crushing on Reid. The FBI's fraternization laws were explicitly clear. True, unrequited lust wouldn't cause her to lose her position, but the unit chief finding out she had spent the night at, hell, clung to, his youngest team member while she was sleeping, and she could kiss any future with the FBI goodbye. Dammit! This had been so much simpler when it was an unspoken crush. Now Morgan knew for sure. So did Penny, who couldn't keep a secret to save her life, and so did Reid, probably.

Ryley paused in the middle of shampooing her hair. Fuck! Reid probably knew! Well this morning just got a hell of a lot more awkward. Ryley quickly rinsed the soap from her hair. It was time to get dressed and get the hell out. Now. Before she said or did something even more embarrassing.

The rest of her routine went quickly. Drying off, brushing her hair and teeth, pulling her now-curly strands back into a high ponytail (Damn Penelope and her beauty ideas!), and rubbing on lotion. The only snag hit when she was getting dressed. Penny was right. Ryley was an hourglass, with large breasts, an itty-bitty waist, and wide hips. Spencer's shirt, while it fit, gaped a bit around the chest. Ok, a lot. You could see her bra through the stretched button holes.

Sighing, Ryley bent down and pulled a semi-clean tank-top from the bag. She'd be going home soon, to a place where she could change into her own, clean, clothes. She just needed to look presentable for the trip back to Penny's. She unbuttoned Reid's shirt and tugged on the stretchy red spaghetti-strap that worked as an undershirt more often than not. Ryley slid Spencer's shirt back on over the tank-top, leaving it unbuttoned this time.

Time to go. A quick cup of coffee, a heartfelt thank-you, firm avoidance of any discussion having to do with what happened when they got off the jet yesterday, and then it's hopping on the first Metro train to Penny's, Dr. Reid firmly left behind in his apartment. That plan planted resolutely at the forefront of her mind, Ryley took a deep breath and exited the bathroom.

She followed the wafting smell of coffee to the kitchen, and had to cover her mouth to keep from gasping. She'd been so embarrassed about being in his bed, and then so worried about him being upset with her for looking through his room, Ryley had failed to notice what Reid was actually wearing. Or what he wasn't wearing, as the case may be.

No sweater vest. No button up. No slacks, but jeans. And a grey wife-beater. And the signature mismatched socks. Ryley felt like drooling. There were muscles under those baggy clothes! And a very cute butt. And a nice torso that slim down into- Stop it right now Ryley Anne Caruso! Remember your internship! Remember your future career! Remember the damn plan!

Reid turned at her approach and offered her a small smile. "Feel better?"

She nodded. "Much." Ryley cleared her throat. "Coffee?" She asked hopefully.

Reid smiled and grabbed a cup from the cabinet, filling it with coffee. He slid it across the counter to her, setting a sugar bowl and a small bottle of her favorite creamer next to it. Ryley smiled, he even got the brand right. "Thank you Spencer."

Spencer nodded as a way of saying you're welcome. They sat and sipped their coffee in awkward silence for a few moments before he finally piped up. "Ryley. About last night…"

"I'm sorry Spence. I didn't mean for it to happen. It was an accident, I swear." Ryley was blushing furiously. She wanted to nip this in the bud before they could hit a really awkward part of this conversation.

He flinched. He should have expected it. Who would actually want to cuddle up to a skinny know-it-all like him? Still, it hurt. Especially since he'd been the only one able to keep her calm last night. "I suppose it would be wrong to say I enjoyed it then?"

Ryley's breath caught. She blinked at him slowly. "You did?"

Spencer rubbed the back of his neck, blushing slightly. "I don't… There aren't a lot of people I touch. Or that I let touch me. It always seems too… personal. But I enjoyed having you sleep on me last night. And when you would grab onto me. I… It always seems as if I'm the one needing to be rescued. It was pleasant to feel as if I was perpetrating the rescue instead."

Her blush matched his own. Golden eyes staring into the depths of her coffee cup as if it held the answers to the world, she quietly admitted, "I… I thought I made you uncomfortable yesterday. That's why I apologized."

"You didn't make me uncomfortable. As I stated, it was pleasant."

If it were possible, Ryley's cheeks reddened further. "Well… Umm… I've got to get home." She stood from the stool. "It was… Thank you Spence. I'll see you Monday."

"Ryley! Hold on!" He followed her to the door, where she stood hopping into her tactical boots. She stared up at him expectantly while she zipped up the side. "There's… There's a lecture on the pros and cons of stem cell research Thursday night. I was wondering if you'd like to go."

Ryley flushed. That was one of her favorite subjects, on that she and Spencer had argued about in length. She really, really shouldn't go with him but… "Yeah Spence. I'd love to."

Briefly she thought that the smile that lit up his face was more than worth the possible career suicide.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"You did what!"

Ryley groaned and shoved her head under a couch pillow. "He asked me to go to a lecture with him and I said yes."

Penelope squealed and bounced next to Ryley on the couch. "That's great Ry! You two are more than perfect for each other and-"

"Pen, stop! I never should have said yes! It's suicide. I'll never get hired, hell, I'll never even get the part-time internship, if I'm in a relationship with someone on the team! The brunette cried, willing Penelope to understand what was going on.

Typical Garcia, the bouncy blonde waved it off. "Please. Once Hotch finds out who's reduced their consult pile by twenty cases in three days, he's never going to let you go, whether you're dating Reid or not. Speaking of which." Penny bopped Ryley on the head. "What were you thinking working three days straight like that? Do you know how bad that is for your body?"

"Please. I've stayed up longer than that studying for finals. Coffee and energy drinks are amazing things. And you already chastised me by making sure Strauss wouldn't let me into work for the next week. You know, I could have had half of JJ's pile gone by then."

"Yeah, and you would have worked yourself to the bone and passed out from sleep deprivation and starvation by then! I watched that footage. You know what you ate during those three days?" The blond paused dramatically. "Lunch. Once a day. With Reid, I might add. Further proof that I think you two are perfect for each other because we have a hard enough time dragging Reid away to eat dinner. We've pretty much given up on breakfast and lunch."

Ryley shrugged. It's not like she had tried to get him to start eating lunch with her. He'd come into the break room one day and saw her munching on some celery sticks and re-reading one of her old psychology textbooks. He'd sat down to talk about the characteristics of a sexual sadist with her and a tradition had been born. After a couple days, he noticed she'd stopped eating and instead they were spending their lunch breaks just talking and asked her why. She admitted it was uncomfortable to eat in front of him when he wasn't munching on something as well and the next day he came in with two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and frappuccinos from the Starbucks across the street. Ta-da, Reid ate lunch.

She told Penny the story and the tech analyst started rolling with laughter. "All you had to deal was say you were uncomfortable eating when he wasn't, and he started eating lunch? Little One, he has it bad for you."

"No." Ryley said firmly. "He feels like he makes people uncomfortable to often and tries to do what he can to change that."

Garcia's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

The intern sighed, pushing a curl that had escaped behind her ear. "I mean, he feels like he makes the team uncomfortable with his rambling and just being who he is. Since he can't change the lecture mode thing, it's a part of his personality just like overly-excessive happiness is part of yours, he does other little things. He tries to listen to more modern music, even though he prefers jazz. He goes to bars with the team even though he'd prefer to be at the old movie screenings they have in the park. He reads crap like Twilight so he has something he can talk about with you guys, even though he's a much bigger fan of the classics. Anything to make him a little more normal. It's his way of trying to fit in."

Penny gaped. "He's told you all of this?"

Ryley shook her head. "No, but I've noticed things. He let me listen to his IPod once on a local trip because Morgan's music was annoying me. It was a lot of jazz with just a few Top 20 songs thrown in. I asked him about it, and his reply was that Prentiss had said that he'd like them. I've been to bars with you guys, and I've seen how uncomfortable he is, but last week he came in happy and excited. I asked what was going on and he told me about going to see Arsenic and Old Lace in the park the night before. Today when I woke up, I looked around his room and-"

"You were in his room!?"

The brunette glared at her excitable aunt. "Focus Penny. Like I was saying, I looked around his room, and even though there were books everywhere, it was the classics he had like his collection of Edgar Allen Poe's works and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and a lot of Mark Twain that was old and worn and had obviously been read a thousand times over. Twilight looked like it had been read once. He caught me poking around and said that you, JJ, and Prentiss had, and I quote, 'insisted I read that to become more up to date on popular culture'. Any suggestion you guys make on what The Average Joe does, he tries it so he doesn't feel so out of place."

"But we love our boy genius just the way he is. Social ineptitude and all."

"That's another thing!" Ryley said. "He's not socially inept. If you pay attention, he does sweet and kind things for the team all of the time. Who do you think keeps Morgan's favorite coffee brand in the kitchen? Or makes sure Hotch doesn't run out of the pens he's always chewing on? Or slips the cigars David loves so much into his office? Where do you think those chocolate biscotti things that you love to munch on while you're working a bad case or the lollipops Prentiss sucks on so she won't bite her nails comes from? Thin air? He even remembers what type of creamer I prefer and keeps it in the breakroom, on the jet, and he went out and got a bottle of it this morning so I'd have it when I woke up. He just doesn't brag about doing all those things for you guys because for him the reward is seeing you happy.

"And no, he's not good in large crowds or around strangers, but if you'd all bother to pay attention to what he's saying, you'd see that what he says and does is all centered around making his team, his friends, as comfortable as possible. Those 'random tangents' you walk away from could actually hold some valuable information for Morgan while he's working on his rental properties, tips for Prentiss during her 'Sin to Win' weekends in Atlantic City, helpful remedies for Hotch and JJ in case Jack or Henry ever get sick, and new ways to hack and play your online RP games Pen. It's just all mixed in without a lot of other information that you have to sort through with him to get to it because he's not like us. Our brains work with maybe three or four tangents at a time while his is working with every known connection he can put together. It's awe-inspiring if you actually take the time to listen. And from what I've heard, Gideon's the only one who ever bothered to even try. Honestly, I don't care how he left the team. If I ever meet the man, I'm going to give him a huge hug just for that."

She finished with a huff and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring accusingly at Penelope, daring the tech analyst to contradict her. Garcia was staring at her with wide eyes, trying to take in everything that had just been spewed at her. "But… But we love him. Just like he is. I wouldn't want my wonder boy to be any different. And… does he really do all of that for us?"

"Do you ever tell him that you love him as is? Or is that supposed to be implied in all the teasing about how he should work out, get a different style, listen to better music, and find a girl?" Ryley snapped. She'd been holding all this in for a long time and while Penny wasn't the best person to let it all out on, it was her who brought it all to the forefront. "And yes, he does all of that for the team and more."

"I… I…" Penelope's bottom lip started trembling and Ryley sighed, moving to pull her aunt into a hug.

"It's ok Aunt Penny. You didn't know. It's a natural reaction. Someone with Reid's brain comes along once a lifetime. Most people don't know how to handle it." The intern consoled, lightly rubbing Penny's back.

Garcia sniffled and laid her head on Ryley's shoulder. "How do I fix it?"

"You really want to?" Penelope nodded. "Then listen closely. Tell the team what I just said, or better yet, gather them up and let me yell at them. Then start making small changes. Get Rossi to try reading some of the classic literature Spence enjoys. Have Morgan play jazz in the car on the way to a local trip next time. Instead of going out to a bar, host an old movie night at one of the team's house instead. Back off his clothes. He likes them as is. Leave him alone about his body since he's already self-conscious as hell. Leave him alone about finding a girl since he's painfully shy and will do so in his own good time, and for God's sake, listen to the man. That's all he wants more than anything. Someone to listen to him and try to understand what is going on in his head."

Penny nodded against Ryley's shoulder and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. With a pained laugh, she said, "You know Ry, I think you're going to be one of the best things to ever happen to my team."

Ryley laughed and continued to softly rock her aunt. "God I hope so, Pen. God I hope so."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

True to her word, Penny wanted to fix things. The entire team, minus Reid, was over that evening, and Ryley got to yell at them for how they treat Reid. She gave them the same spiel, and the same suggestions, that she gave Garcia that morning. To her satisfaction, everyone looked properly chastised.

"Do we really make him feel like that?" Prentiss asked softly.

Ryley nodded. "He's not like most people. We know that. That's part of what makes him so awesome. But he is still a person, and if we want to call him our friend, we have to treat as we would any other friend. Would we walk away from any other friend when they were talking to us? Or completely ignore all their likes in favor of ours?"

Hotch sighed and hung his head between his knees. Jack, Henry, and Will were in Penny's bedroom so that the team could have this meeting, no doubt find new and interesting things to do with her many scarves. "Can we fix this?"

Penelope came and stood beside Ryley, supporting her. "I think we should do like Ry says. She's the one who noticed all this and she's the one who spends the most time with Reid. Plus, once she pointed it out, we can't deny it's true."

Morgan lay his head back on the couch. "How did an intern pick up on this when a whole team of profilers didn't?"

"Because none of us really pay attention to Reid. Think about it. How else did he get away with the drug addiction for so long?" Rossi pointed out, looking like the team father-figure as always, but lines of strain around his eyes gave away the fact that he was just as distressed as the rest of the team.

"My question is why are you paying so much attention Ryley?" JJ asked, a wicked twinkle in her eyes. She was trying to cheer the team up and give them a diversion. The mother hen, as always.

Morgan and Prentiss grinned at Ryley like Cheshire cats. Penny wrapped an arm around her waist, smiling just as brightly as Derek and Emily. Hotch, Rossi, and Kevin looked at her with raised brows and Ryley's face had darkened to a shade just this side of crimson. "Really? That's what you took away from that little rant Jayje?"

"Nope. But it's something to consider. Like Derek said, how did an intern notice all this when a team of fully-trained, experienced profilers didn't?"

Ryley groaned, leaning her head against Penny's shoulder. Desperately, she whispered in her aunt's ear, "Make them stop. Please. I beg of you. Shouldn't my personal life be personal?"

"You're kidding right?" Penny whispered back. "Have you seen this team? Kevin's not even their analyst, but no one blinks twice about him being here for the team meetings. Will is in the office and with us outside of work more often than not. We've all met, talked to, and drank with Rossi's ex-wives, and all of Derek's ex-girlfriends. We've been trying to push Prentiss together with this British agent from another team for years now. We've set Hotch up on so many blind dates it's ridiculous. The only person who's love life we haven't dabbled in is Reid's, and the second they get a whiff that you're interested, and better yet, so is he, that ends. There is no such thing as private on this team, baby doll."

"There should be."

"But there isn't. So either suck it up and tell them it's because you have a massive crush on the good doctor or come up with a damn good lie… quickly."

Ryley pulled back and glared at her aunt. "You are pure evil. I just want you to know that."

Garcia bounced over to Kevin and plopped down next to him on the floor. "I know. But you love me anyway."

"Ry?" Her Uncle Kevin stared at her expectantly. "Are you going to answer the question?"

She pushed an ebony curl behind her ear and glowered at them all. "Not if I can help it. Does the phrase 'None of your business.' ring a bell with any of you?"

The team erupted into sound with good natured jibes, wild guesses, and many, many, calls of "He's my friend/You're my niece so that makes it my business!" Finally, Hotch got tired of the noise level.

"I need coffee." He said, standing. "Ryley, is there some place near here that I can get some?"

"Two blocks south."

"Care to show me?" He didn't need to ask if Jack would be ok. There was no safer place in the world for his son to be than surrounded by his team.

Ryley nodded and followed him out the door. Great, coffee with the boss. Here comes the "I think you would be better in a different department/agency/career field" speech. Fuck! She knew she should have never gotten a crush on Spencer. She knew it would blow up in her face.

Hotchner was silent for most of the trip down in the elevator. It was until they stepped onto the sidewalk that he said anything. "So. You and Reid?"

"Friends." Ryley stated firmly.

"Just friends?"

"So far."

"Are you two ever going to be anything more?"

"Am I going to get fired if I say hopefully?"

Hotch stopped her. "Ryley, I know what the FBI fraternization rules say, but I think they're ridiculous. One thing I learned is we don't get to choose who we fall in love with, or even have feelings for. Something like your job, a temporary necessary evil in your life, shouldn't be a hindrance in finding happiness in your life."

She stared at him, golden eyes betraying distrust. "So that's a 'Yes, I'll still have to fire you, but take it as a good thing because Reid could possibly be your mythical soul mate' or 'No, your job is safe even if you do end up swapping spit with my resident genius on a regular basis'?"

"As long as I doesn't interfere with your work, the latter." He replied with a grin and started walking again. "Come on. I was serious about wanting coffee. Plus, you've been avoiding me and Rossi. That ends now."

"Wonderful."

"It won't be that bad."

"You're not about to be stripped of your fifth amendment rights against self-incrimination."

"Do you have something to incriminate yourself with. I thought between this and the weekend-Goth thing we'd discovered all your secrets." He looked at her slyly out of the corner of his eye. "Or are you afraid I'll find out about JJ slipping you consults on the sly and that you're the reason my team and I are banned from the building until Monday?"

Ryley gaped at him. Shit! He knew! She was in so much trouble. JJ would be in so much trouble. Damn! Damn! Double damn it all to hell and back! "If it makes it any better, it was my idea, not JJ's. I stole one of the simple consult files from her desk and she caught me when I was trying to slip it back in, finished. She reviewed it, then sent it to you and Derek for review, before she said that I could keep doing them."

Hotch nodded. "I know. I figured it out on the way back last night. I should have figured it out on the plane, but I was too busy suspecting Morgan."

"What gave me away?"

He laughed. "Your horrible poker face. I don't know how the whole team didn't realize it. You had the guiltiest expression I'd ever seen."

Ryley shrugged. She knew it was true. It was one of the things she needed to work on if she wanted to join the FBI. It's not like she could let an UnSub know she was scared of him. That could ruin an entire interrogation/hostage situation/surrender negotiation, take your pick. "So you're not mad that an intern has been working through your consult requests?"

"They were good work Ryley. Well thought out, informative without being too specific in regards to height, weight, and physical characteristics unless the evidence listed supported it. You were able to differentiate between a copy cat's actions and the actions of the original criminal. There were a few tweaks that I had to make on the consult for Phoenix, that was you right?" Ryley nodded. "I thought so. Anyway, I had to tweak the arson case in Phoenix and the rapist in Buffalo, but for someone with no formal training, you've done exceptionally well."

She flushed, brightly. That was high praise in her mind. "Thank you sir. If you don't mind me asking, what did you have to change on those two cases?"

Hotch looked at her worriedly. "Ryley, like I said, you have no formal training. You don't need to be upset because you made a mistake and-"

Ryley, realizing what he thought, moved quickly to cut him. "No sir. I'm not upset." She assured him rapidly. "I was just wondering. If I don't know what I did wrong, then I can't learn from it and ensure I don't make the same mistake twice."

The unit chief let out a relieved sigh. He wanted Ryley to stay on as their intern. Twenty consults in three days, even if she had worked herself to the bone, was impressive. She had the makings of a great profiler, and when the time came, he'd be sure to steal her away to his team. But he didn't need an agent that was going to fret over her mistakes instead of trying to learn from them. To hear that she was already mature enough to know that she had to understand her errors in order to correct them in the future boded well for her career. And her life. Shaking himself out of the assessment of the girl who would be his next team member, he began to explain more about the cases in Phoenix in Buffalo, what she missed, and how to catch it next time.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Three hours and four coffees later, they finally went back to Penny's. The conversation had switched from the cases in Phoenix and Buffalo, to profiling in general, to the FBI Academy and what she should expect. All in all, Ryley found that Hotch wasn't nearly as intimidating as he pretended to be, at least when you were talking to him without the entire team around. She also had a sneaking suspicion that she'd managed to lay her soul bare by just answering questions like "What's your favorite color?", but she'd worry about that later.

Everyone was still sitting around chatting when they came back in and Penny rushed her, squeezing Ryley in a bone-crushing hug. "Ry! We just had a great idea but it all depends on you so you have to agree."

Ryley stared at her aunt suspiciously. "Depends. I've had experience with your 'great ideas' and ended up with curly hair. What's this one?"

Morgan laughed and ruffled said curls. "I think you look cute as a curly-Q."

"I look ridiculous. I will be ecstatic when this temp perm finally washes out."

Penelope pouted. "You look good with curls Ry. Like a dark Shirley Temple. But that's not the point." The tech analyst started bouncing excitedly again, and Ryley wanted to laugh at the look of pure puppy-love on her Uncle Kevin's face. "Kev was bragging about your cooking. And the team was saying they wanted to try. And then I was thinking about what you said about hosting a movie night for Reid. So why don't we do it, or do a bunch of things in one. It'll be like a Reid Appreciation Party. We'll play jazz music and it'll be at Morgan's house so we can set up a movie projector and use the big white wall he has in his living room as a screen and we'll all get Spencer presents, like it's his birthday! Only this'll be just because we want to show him we love him and you can cook his favorite foods and everything!"

Ryley was laughing by the end of all this. Penny sure meant it when she said she wanted to make things right. "That sounds like a great idea sweetie. When do you want to do it?"

"Tonight!"

The intern gaped at her tech analyst auntie, then at Morgan, Prentiss, JJ, Rossi, and Uncle Kevin, who were all grinning like it was no big deal. "Umm… guys? You do realize that it's already three in the afternoon, right?" They all nodded. "And do any of you know how long it will take me to make food for this many people?"

"Rossi and I can help you. We're pretty good cooks ourselves." Morgan replied, shrugging negligently. "Besides, if we do it tonight, then we can all make a plan to follow our favorite weekend-Goth to a club this Saturday and pay attention to her to."

Ryley glared at them, then got a brilliantly evil idea. "Ok guys, I'll make you a deal." They all sat forward. "I'll sweat my ass off cooking Spence's favorites tonight, and I won't even make you follow me to a club Saturday, you can just meet me and Bobby somewhere and go with us, but…" She held up a finger. "I get to dress you."

The girl's all shook their heads eagerly, but they were girls. For them it would be nothing more than another round of dress-up. The guys, on the other hand, all blanched and visibly retreated. None of them wanted that. Ryley shrugged. "It's that or you have to follow me, though I should warn you, I'm very familiar with every metal and punk bar this side of the Potomac. If I tell the bouncer not to let you in, you're not getting past the front door."

The men contemplated that for a minute, glancing between each other. Morgan was the first to cave, nodding his head in a small assent. To everyone's surprise, Hotch was next. He was too curious not to go, even if it meant letting Ryley use him like a living, breathing Ken doll. Rossi finally gave in, glaring at his fellow XY's. "You can dress me, but I'm not wearing make-up."

"Who said anything about make-up? I was thinking face paint." Rossi winced and Ryley took a twisted form of mercy on him. "Tell you what David, it's face paint or eyeliner and mascara. Take your pick."

"I'll tell you Saturday night." He grumbled, and all of the girl's laughed at him.

Suddenly, JJ's head shot towards Ryley. "Will is going to want to come too, are you going to dress him up as well?"

"If you're going with me, you're dressing my way. I work hard to blend in when I'm at a club. And unlike you guys, I'll probably go back to that club at some point in my life. I'm going to be selfish here and flat out say that I won't let you ruin my invisible status by sticking out like sore thumbs. No offence to you and Rossi, Hotch, but just having two guys your age there is going to be enough of an oddity." Ryley stated firmly.

Everyone nodded, understanding her reasoning, almost. It was Rossi that finally asked the question everyone was thinking. "Why are you so intent on staying invisible at these clubs?"

The intern shrugged. "I prefer it that way. Invisible means your left alone and left alone means that you can enjoy yourself without worrying about other people messing with you."

Kevin reached forward and tapped her ankle lightly. "The brawl at Haven last year?" Ryley nodded tersely. Sensing the questioning glances of the team, he explained. "She was at this place called Haven last year when two assholes started picking on her friend Bobby and his boyfriend. Ryley stood up for them and it turned into this whole big thing that ended in Ryley needing staples in her head and nearly getting charged with assault."

Hotch stared at Kevin. "Nearly?"

"There were enough witnesses ly- saying that the other guy threw the first punch that she was left off with self-defense."

Morgan laughed. "You nearly said lying." He turned his attention to Ryley. "So you started it?"

"Technically. I still say he started it by being an ignorant homophobe, but hey, my opinion and the law's don't exactly match up on this one." Ryley said, suppressing a grin. Despite the heart-attack she'd nearly given Kev and Pen when they got the call from the hospital and the fact that she was banned from Haven now, that was one of her proudest nights. Even if it had ended in bloodshed, she still stood up for her friend and against something that she felt was more morally reprehensible than homosexuality could ever be. Hatred.

Prentiss was grinning at her, obviously not upset to find out that Ryley had a bit more than a small temper. "So you ended up with staples in your head?" The younger woman nodded, absently rubbing the spot. "What did the other guy need?"

"The one I took on or the one the Bobby took on?"

"Both."

Ryley gave a malicious smile. "Quite a bit more than me."

Prentiss raised a brow at Penelope. "Do you know?"

Penny was smiling also. Supporting equal rights for LBGT community was one of the things they bonded on. Garcia had even offered to hack into the local LEO's computer system and erase the incident from their hard drives once she found out why Ryley had been in a barroom brawl. "I don't know which one Ry took on, but one guy ended up with a busted leg and three broken ribs-"

"That was Bobby's."

"And the other guy had no major injuries, just a lot of bruising, a cracked collarbone and-"

"Here comes the best part."

"He needed to have testical retrieval operation."

Will, who had chosen that moment to walk out of Penny's room, instinctively covered his balls, while the girl's rolled laughing.

"How the hell did you manage that Ry?" JJ asked between guffaws.

Ryley shrugged, a grin threatening to split her face. "He picked a night when I happened to where my steel-toed hooker boots."

"Steel-toed hooker boots?" Prentiss asked with interest.

Ryley nodded exuberantly. She loved her boots, all of them. They were practically all she bought. "Don't worry. I don't have any guy's clothes and Bobby is skinnier than Spence, so the boys can't borrow clothes from him, which means tomorrow, we get to go shopping!" JJ, Prentiss, and Penny squealed excitedly. "We'll go to my favorite shop. Trust me, you're going to love it. And I'll show you some shoes even cooler than steel-toed hooker boots." The men groaned, making Ryley remember something. "Oh, and guys?" Rossi, Hotch, Morgan, and Will all looked at her expectantly. "The clothes are on me. A thank-you for making an effort with Spence and for trying to get to know me as well."

Before any of them could argue, Ryley dragged Rossi and Morgan into the kitchen, pulling at cookbooks as she went, to make a list of what she'd need from the grocery store. Penny and Prentiss huddled together making other lists that JJ, Will, Hotch, and Kevin would have to fill. Hotch, watching the party planning chaos reign, sighed and retreated to the bedroom to check on his son. Will leaned down next to his wife. "What clothes are she talking about?"


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"Why don't you go get him Ry! He likes you and I have to keep an eye on the Mocha Cookie Crumble cake you insisted he'd love!"

"Because Morgan, it's supposed to be a surprise and I use the Metro. I can't exactly take a blindfolded Reid on the train! Someone will think I'm kidnapping him!"

"So get one of the girl's to go get him!"

"For Christ's sake Derek! I can keep an eye on the friggin' cake! If one of the girl's tries to go get him, he'll suspect something once they pull up in front of your house. But if you go get him, you can just say you're inviting him over for a guy's night and he won't blink twice."

"Except for the fact that I've never invited him to a guy's night before!"

"He wants to be normal! He thinks guy's nights are normal! Just do as I say jerk!"

"When did you become the boss?"

"When your youngest agent still feels like a science experiment after six years of working with you!"

Derek shut up at that and angrily grabbed his keys, storming out the front door. Groaning, Ryley contemplated bashing her head in against the refrigerator. Rossi set a soothing hand on her shoulder. "Don't take it personally. He thought he was Reid's best friend. For him to find out that an intern who's only been with us a couple months knows more about his partner than he does, it a bit of a crushing blow."

She sent a false smile over her shoulder, walking over to the oven to check on the cake Morgan was so worried about. "I'm not trying to hurt anyone David. That wasn't my goal in any of this. I'm just worried about Spencer. He's felt like a freak for most of his life thanks to his intelligence. Now he has a career that he excels in and a team that's more like his family. He shouldn't feel like a freak anymore."

David sat at the table, nodding as he continued to roll green onions, cream cheese, and ham slices together before slicing them into pinwheels. Ryley and Spencer had stopped at some little café on the way home from work one night, and Spencer had gotten so excited when he saw they had those. He must have eaten about a dozen of them. "No, he shouldn't. And we should have realized that. And that's what's going to eat at everyone for the longest. We thought we knew Spencer, how he acted, what he thought, what he wanted. And it turns out we didn't know anything, not like you do at least. And all you had to do was watch and listen. That's supposed to be something we excel at and we failed with someone so close and so important to us."

"But you're seeing it now and you're trying to fix it. That's more important than anything."

"But not everyone's going to see it that way. Especially not Derek who's so protective over all of us. He thinks it's his job to take care of everyone, physically and emotionally, and he sees it as a personal failure on his part for not being able to take care of Reid."

Ryley nodded. Derek did tend to try to act like a big brother to everyone. She could see where finding out a newcomer, say someone who married in, to continue with the family analogy, knew more about his little brother than he did could be slightly harrowing. Suddenly she giggled. If Derek was the big brother, then that made Prentiss, JJ, Reid, and Penny the younger siblings, Hotch was obviously the father, but what did that make Rossi? The father's partner? That would explain all the ex-wives.

"What's so funny young lady?" Rossi asked from the table.

Ryley giggled again and walked over to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Nothing you ever, ever, ever, want to know David. Trust me on this one."


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Ryley's phone vibrated in her pocket. She checked the caller id. It was Morgan. One…two…three… four…five rings and it stopped. That was the signal. "Hey guys! They're two minutes out!"

Everyone scrambled for their hiding spots while Ryley ran around making sure the lights were off and checking to make sure everything was perfect. Spencer's favorite foods. Check. Cake ready and cooling. Check. Gifts on the table. Check. Kid's with their babysitter a.k.a. Bobby. (Hey! It was short notice!). Check. Banner, decorations, and balloons. Check, check, check. Everything was ready. Silently, she crossed her fingers and prayed that Spencer would like everything.

The entire team had worked hard. Jazz flowed through Derek's speakers, Casablanca was ready to play in the living room. Soda instead of alcohol since Reid wasn't big on drinking. Hotch and Will got stuck with the decorations list while Kevin got the grocery list and the girl's went out and bought the gifts. The looks on the men's faces as they hesitantly handed over their credit cards was priceless, but JJ, Prentiss, Garcia, and Ryley hadn't spent more than twenty dollars on any one gift. At least not from the guys. When the girls saw an antique book store, they couldn't resist. It just seemed too perfect for Reid. It had all turned out perfectly. At least Ryley hoped so.

They saw the headlights shine through the windows and ducked behind their designated hiding spots. Ryley ran one last check through, making sure no one had anything sticking out, before tip-toeing toward the stairs. She was going to hide in Morgan's office for a while. This was supposed to be about the team making amends to Spencer, and she didn't want to interfere.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Spencer glanced at Derek suspiciously for the umpteenth time since the senior agent had shown up on his doorstep asking about a guy's night. Spencer didn't do guy's nights. Guy's nights involved sports and drinking, both of which he abhorred. But Derek was making an effort to include him, so he went along with it. Except Derek was twitchy and kept shooting Spencer sidelong glances. When he asked what Reid would prefer to listen to, instead of just turning on the normal R&B, the genius knew something was up.

He still hadn't figured it out by the time they arrived though, and, sighing miserably while he mentally prepared himself for a night of sipping on a noxious beer and watching a ball do something, he followed Morgan into the house. When his entire team popped out shouting "SURPRISE!" the second he walked in the door, he nearly stumbled back out. Quickly, he tried to think of a reason they'd be throwing him a surprise party. It wasn't his birthday. He hadn't finished his latest doctorate yet. As far as he knew, he hadn't been promoted. The banner was no help. All it said was "We love you Reid!" in brown, orange, and blue letters. My favorite colors. He noted absently.

On the far wall were two tables, one filled with food, the other with gifts. Spencer's mouth started watering. He could see the ham, green onion, and cream cheese pinwheels from where he was standing. But Will hated onions, in any form, so things like that were never served at team parties. Neither was the queso blanco dip that he saw because it was too spicy for Kevin. What was going on?

Penelope ran forward and wrapped him in a hug, squeezing tightly. "Do you like it Reid? It's all for you. We tried to get all your favorites and Ryley did all the cooking. She's a great cook by the way! Even better than Rossi, I swear. And you have presents and-"

Morgan gently pulled Garcia away from Spencer. "Calm down momma. Let the boy take it all in."

Garcia nodded but continued to bounce anxiously next to her Boy Wonder. "You do like it, right?"

Spencer nodded, still looking around. It did have all his favorites. Colors, food, music, everything. He just couldn't figure out what it was all for? "I love it Penelope. Just… Why?"

"Oh!" She began to jump lightly. "That's what I was trying to tell you. You see we know we've been a bit…"

"Blind?" Prentiss put in, trying to help even as she gave her own hug to Reid.

Garcia nodded. "Yeah. We've been a bit blind to what you like and everything. I mean we're always telling you what we like and all that but we never stop to listen to what you like."

JJ nodded, embracing Reid tightly. "Like we had no idea you like jazz music."

"Which is weird because I'm from New Orleans and you know how we feel about jazz down there." Will added, giving Spence and awkward hug as well.

Hotch stepped up next, patting Reid's shoulder in lieu of a hug. "Or that you liked old movies. I wish I had listened or even just asked you. I love those 'Movie in the Park' showings. Jack and I even go on occasion. It would have been great to have you with us."

"And those cigars. Superb Reid. Thank you, truly." Rossi said, clapping Reid on the back.

"Same goes for the lollipops." Prentiss called.

"And the biscotti." From Garcia.

"Dude. The coffee. I owe you." Morgan said, ruffling Reid's hair.

"And I always wondered why I never ran out of pens." Hotch added with a small smile.

"I can't count the number of times the chocolate covered almonds you give me have saved me from a mental breakdown." JJ added, grinning at him as she leaned back against Will.

"Anyway," Garcia continued, practically vibrating in Kevin's arms as he held her to stop her bouncing. "Ryley ripped us a new one for it. And… wait? Where is Ryley?"

Everyone looked around, including Reid. He had a feeling he'd get a less disjointed explanation from her. But Ryley was nowhere to be found.

"Is she in the kitchen? Maybe she's putting the finishing touches on the cake." David suggested. Morgan furrowed his brow and poked his head through the kitchen door.

"No Ryley in here." He called back.

Reid frowned and thought for a moment. Ryley wasn't comfortable in other people's houses. He knew that. She'd admitted that. If she was in a strange house for a party, she'd go and hide somewhere private. Somewhere people wouldn't think to look or stumble onto accidently. In Derek's house that would be… He headed to the stairs. She was in Derek's office. He'd stake his career on it.

"Hey Reid! Where are you going man?" Morgan called, moving to follow him.

Spencer quickly held out his hands, staving the other agent off. "I know where Ryley is. I'm going to go get her. Just stay here. I need to talk to her for a moment and then we'll both be down, ok?"

Everyone nodded and suppressed grins, hoping above hope that intern and their genius would get together. Garcia was the only who knew that they already had a date, well, a date by Reid's standards. She was crossing her fingers that they'd kiss.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Spencer tip-toed into Derek's office. There she was, just as he'd expected. Sitting on the floor, headphone's firmly in place, reading a book. Her hair was falling loose around her shoulder, and he had to admit, he'd preferred it straight. Just like he'd seen pictures of her from before she dyed her hair, when it was still somewhere between red and brown and paired with her golden eyes, just sparkled. She had stripped off her outer shirt, the outer shirt he saw, with a stuttering heart, was his, or rather, the shirt he'd let her borrow that morning. She'd changed the tank-top though, replacing the red one with a bright, lime-green one. Her favorite color, his eidetic memory supplied.

He could see the part of her tattoo, the only one she had. It was two impossibly small footprints with a name above them. Alphord Edward. Few ever saw it. Even fewer knew the significance. Out of the team, he was pretty sure that he, Penelope, and Kevin were probably the only ones. Morgan had probably seen it but Spencer doubted he knew the story behind it. It had taken her shying away from going into the labor room of a witness that had recently given birth for Spencer to be told, and even then Ryley couldn't get the full story out. Penelope had to finish telling him.

Ryley had gotten pregnant when she was seventeen, just before she graduated. Unfortunately, no one knew that she had a condition known as in incompetent cervix. Instead of like most women, whose cervixes stayed closed and firm until somewhere between 38 and 42 weeks of pregnancy, Ryley's would release around 24 to 28 weeks, resulting in a child that was rarely viable outside the womb. She had been in a small town in Oklahoma, visiting family, when it happened. The hospital they went to wasn't equipped with a NICU and the nurse called the doctor to come check on her too late for Ryley to be transferred to another hospital. Her son had died 43 minutes after birth from oxygen deprivation because his lungs weren't fully formed yet. She had held him the entire time, her heart breaking even as his stopped beating.

Spencer knew she still made the trip to the cemetery where her son was buried every year on the little boy's birthday. He counted the years. Alphord would be six years old this year. The same age as Jack. His heart twisted when he thought about it in those terms. He wondered if Ryley ever felt uncomfortable around Jack because of that? Slowly, he approached her from behind and lightly placed his hand over the mark.

Ryley let out a startled squeak and nearly tumbled off the chair. Glaring, up at him where he stood beside her, she pulled her headphones off. "I'm only two songs down on my 'Avoid Profilers' playlist. Why are you up here? You should be downstairs being smothered in love by your team."

Spencer shrugged, smiling a bit at her posturing for the very girly yelp she had emitted when he snuck up on her. "My entire team isn't there. It didn't seem right to start yet."

She growled low in her throat, popping up from the chair. "Who left? I'll drag their asses back here by their ear. Unless it's because one of the kids are sick. Then it's acceptable. But that's the only reason."

"No one left Ryley." He replied, laughing lowly and settling a hand on her hip to keep her from running downstairs and chastising the team… again. "I said my entire team isn't there because you're hiding up here."

"But I'm not part of the team." She tried to reason, batting her big amber eyes.

Spencer laughed, not fooled for a moment. "You take trips with us, help us with anything we ask, wait with Garcia at the screens when we're on a case. You're part of the team Ryley."

"But it's that part of the team that has something to say to you."

"What are they trying to say? They tried explaining downstairs but everyone was talking and I kept being hugged, so it escaped me. I caught bits in pieces. Something about Hotch inviting me to go to 'Movies in the Park' with him and Jack and Will saying I should have told him I like jazz music and then everyone started thanking me."

Ryley giggled, leaning forward slightly to lay her head on his sternum. "I had a mini-explosion this morning at Pen about the way they treat you. That led to a major-explosion at the entire team, which led to this party. They're trying to make it up to and get to know what you like, instead of telling you what normal people like."

Reid stilled, his hand tightening slightly on her hip. "Why?"

Ryley looked up at him. "Because they feel bad. I pointed out that they wouldn't treat anyone else that they call a friend the way they treat you and this is their way of trying to show you that they love you and want to be your friend with you as you are, not as a so called 'normal' person."

"That explains Morgan asking me what I wanted to listen to on the way here. I swear I was going to have an aneurism trying to figure out what was going on with him." Reid replied, relaxing slightly. "That explains Hotch and Will, but why were they all thanking me?"

"For the little things you do around the office."

Suddenly, more parts of the conversation filtered into his brain. Each member of the team saying something about the little things he gave them to try to make their jobs a bit more tolerable. He felt like an idiot. "You told them about all of that?"

Ryley flushed and shrugged. "Like I said, it came out as an explosion. I wasn't really thinking about what I said before I said it. At least not with Penny. And you know she wouldn't have let me get away with not repeating everything to the team."

Reid chuckled and shook his head. "You have got to learn to control your temper."

"I do!" She exclaimed, then wilted under his stare. "Most of the time. The more comfortable I am around a person, the more it shows itself."

"I'd like to blame it on your Irish heritage but statistics say that those types of stereotypes are often false."

It was Ryley's turn to shake her head and laugh. "Statistics lie. Blame it on the Irish blood." She laid her head against his chest for another brief second before prying his hand off her hip and holding it in her own. "Come on Spence. You've got a party waiting downstairs. There's even presents!"


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Morgan whistled as he saw Ryley barreling downstairs, still holding Spencer's hand, both of them laughing like children. "Looks like Boy Genius really did know where to find you Ry! Where were you hiding?"

"A gaping black hole from whence there is not return." She said drolly, deepening her voice and widening her eyes. Spencer chuckled from alongside her and Ryley dropped the expression. "I was reading in your office oh brawny one."

Morgan shook her head and pulled her into a one-armed hug. "You are a strange, strange child."

"But you love me anyway!" She piped. "Now let me go! Spencer needs to open his presents and I need to slap hands away from food trays until he's- DAVID JAMES ROSSI, SO HELP ME GOD IF YOU TOUCH THAT CAKE I'LL WHIP YOU INTO NEXT WEEK!"

Rossi popped his head around the corner that led to the kitchen. "How did you know what I was doing? There was a wall and a door between us!"

Ryley shrugged, giving a mysterious smile. "I have a little sister and a load of younger cousins. As the first of my generation, and being four-years older than the rest of them, I got the babysitting shaft a lot. I developed maternal superpowers as a survival tool."

Kevin nodded emphatically. "It's pretty amazing actually. I was trying to hack into her e-mail account one time and she nearly blew the speaker out of my phone yelling at me for it, before I was even done."

Penelope laughed, reaching up to kiss her boyfriend's cheek. "That wasn't mommy superpowers, that was the firewall I wrote into her system to protect her from snoopy overprotective uncles."

Kevin frowned down at her while everyone else laughed. Rossi sauntered back into the main part of the room under Ryley's watchful glare and Spencer physically felt, for the first time, what people meant when they said they had butterflies in their stomach when he realized that he'd be taking that gorgeous woman to a lecture in just a couple days. The same gorgeous woman who yelled at his team and remembered, just from conversations and spending time with him, what things he liked. She was special. There was no denying it. He doubted he'd ever find another girl like Ryley.

"Spence!" She called, standing behind a chair that sat a little to the right of the present table. "Come open your gifts. I'm not letting anyone eat until you do!"

Reid had to hide a small smile as he saw Hotch blanch and subtly swallow what looked to be a large mouthful of the pinwheels. "The party was enough. The party is too much. I would have been happy if you just sat down and talked to me about all this. Put the presents away for my birthday or something."

Penelope was having none of it. Neither were Morgan or Ryley. "Uh-uh Boy Genius. When we screw up big, we fix it up big. Now stop messing around and come open your presents. Ryley was mean enough that she wouldn't even let me or Rossi taste test while we were helping her cook."

Spencer sent an amused glance at Ryley, who shrugged in response. "It's your favorites. You get to try them first."

He rolled his eyes. "How do you even know what my favorites are?"

"We eat lunch together. We eat dinner together. We go to lectures and stop at all-night diners to talk them over when we're done. Half of the time I spend with you is around food. If I can't pick up on what you prefer, then I'm blind and dumb." She stated flatly, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at him like he was dumb. "I'm pretty sure you know all my favorite things too."

He nodded rapidly. "Green is your favorite color. Heavy metal and punk rock is your favorite music. You like anything that tastes like mint or chocolate though you like Mexican food too. Your favorite author is Edgar Allen Poe and your favorite story by him is 'The Tale-Tell Heart'. If I had to cook for you like you did for me I'd try to make that seafood fondue we had at that restaurant on the Potomac a few weeks ago. And if I had to buy you a present it would be tickets to Italy because you've always wanted to see Rome and Vatican City."

You could have heard a cricket chirp, it was so quiet. All eyes were on Ryley and Reid, both of whom were blushing furiously. Finally, Ryley cleared her throat uncomfortably, and shifted from foot to foot. "See. Like I said. Anyway… Onto the presents!"

Low murmurs spread through the room as Ryley shifted through the boxes on the table, wanting him to open Rossi's present first. Spencer accepted the box, still slightly red in the face, and began to tear it open. Inside were ten pairs of socks, all in crazy colors and patterns, for Spencer to mix and match to his heart's content. The young man laughed out loud and thanked David, who was smiling brightly.

Next came Hotch's, a limited edition Miles Davis original record. Garcia had gotten lucky and found it hiding in the bottom a discount bin at the music store. It had also been the inspiration for Morgan's present, which, after a serious of hollers and "Thank You!"s from Reid to Hotch, Spencer was finally opening now. An old record player for the record he now had. Morgan actually received a hug for that one, and the older man sent a silent thank-you to the girl's on his team.

JJ offered her's up next. Inside was a first edition of "Pinocchio" that she'd found at the antique book store. "You can tell me all about the author's nose fetish now." She joked, and Spencer gave her bright smile.

Next came Prentiss, who had gotten Reid the complete collected works of Jonathan Swift. Spencer actually teared-up as he ran his finger down the spine of "Gulliver's Travels", a favorite of his that his mom used to read to him as a child.

Garcia, true to form, instead of being drawn to the book section of the store, had instead explored all the reading accessories. Spencer now had about fifty bookmarks, all stamped with inspirational quotes, funny cartoons, or popular passages from well-known novels, along with two reading lights, and a box of multicolored pens and highlighters for him to make his notes.

Last but not least came Ryley's present. As soon as she saw it, she knew it would be perfect for him. It was more recent than the other books he'd received, but she knew he wouldn't mind once he looked inside. She watched his face anxiously as he read the cover and his hands began to shake.

"What is it Spencer?" Will asked, chin propped on JJ's shoulder. Slowly, Reid held the book up to let the room read the cover. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer: Edited and Introduced by Prof. Diana Reid. The team gasped.

"Reid? Is that… Your mom?" Prentiss asked, staring at the book. He nodded slowly, tears slipping silently down his cheeks.

Slowly, everyone, including Reid, turned their eyes to Ryley. "How did you find this?"

She shrugged self-consciously, uneasy with everyone staring at her… again. It seemed to be happening a lot today. "It was tucked back on one of the shelves in an antique bookstore we went to today. I wasn't sure if it was your mom or not, but I figured it had to be. You told me she was a professor of 15th to 18th century literature before things got too bad for her. I thought… Do you like it?"

Reid nodded, his wide hazel eyes drawn back to the book in his hands. He ran the tips of his fingers over her name again. "Very much. Thank you Ryley."

Seeking to break the tension in the room, JJ nudged Ryley with her elbow. "No wonder you wouldn't let us see what you got him! We would've tried to steal it for ourselves."

The ploy worked and soon everyone was laughing and teasing about Ryley keeping the best present for herself. Honestly, she hadn't thought of it like that. She'd figured that "Pinocchio" or the Jonathan Swift books would be a bigger hit. Hers was supposed to be more of a novelty than anything. Reid smiled, looking at the book, and she felt her heart swell. No matter her intention, she was glad he liked it. "Reid! Put it down and come eat. Uncle Kevin looks like he'd devour the crab salad with his eyes if he could!"

Spencer laughed and she saw him slip her book into his messenger bag while he arranged the other gifts neatly on the table. "You made me crab salad." He asked, coming to stand beside her where she was fussing over last minute arrangements to the buffet.

She looked over at him. "What? You thought you were the only person paying attention at the seafood place?"


	16. Chapter 16

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

It took thirty minutes, but Ryley was finally able to sneak into the kitchen so that she could put the finishing touches on Spencer's cake. She'd made a light coffee flavored icing and managed to tint two separate batched orange and blue. While Reid liked things sweet, he wasn't a fan of icing, so she was going to use the brown of the top of the cake as a background and just put in a piped border and the writing. Same as the banner, it would read "We love you Reid!" by the time she was done.

She pulled out two disposable pastry bags from where she'd stashed them earlier and was attaching the large circular tip when Rossi and Hotch snuck in. "Ryley. We need to talk."

Apprehensively, the intern glanced at her bosses. "If you're going to fire me, can it wait until tomorrow? Spencer's having a really good time tonight and I don't want to ruin it by breaking down and crying all over his cake."

Hotch sighed and rolled his eyes. "What is with you and the getting fired thing? I already told you, as long as it doesn't interfere with your work, I don't care what you do."

Ryley nodded, letting out a relieved sigh. Slowly she began to spoon her homemade icing into the pastry bag. "Then what can I do for you gentleman."

"Well you see…" Rossi began, smiling mischievously.

"We noticed something…" Hotch continued, a similar smile plastered to his face.

"On you back a little earlier…"

"And we were wondering…"

"One, when did you get a tattoo?"

"And two, if it had anything…"

"To do…"

"With you…"

"Not wanting…"

"To go…"

"Into the…"

"Maternity ward…"

"A few days ago."

By the time they were done, Ryley was bouncing her head back in forth between them, trying to figure out which one was talking. They'd even adopted similar tones while they were going on like that! "Is that what you people did to Spencer when he got here, because if so, no wonder the poor boy was confused."

Hotch  
laughed. "No. We were all just talking at once."

Rossi stole a bit of icing from the bowl. "That we planned out, just to put you at ease."

Ryley's eyebrows shot up and she shook her head. "I see. Well that was confusing. And slightly annoying. And it didn't work. Oh, and in answer to your question, it's none of your business."

"That's fair enough." Hotch said, stealing his own swipe of icing when he saw David's blissed expression. "But in the interest of full-disclosure, as unit chief, I can always just ask Garcia to give me all your medical records from the time you were born to your most recent pap smear."

"And in the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that, as her niece, there are certain things she will never give you and never tell you in order to protect me." She held up her hand, "But, out of love for my aunt and not wanting to make her choose between protecting my privacy or her job, I'll tell you. Yes, I had a child once. Just after I turned seventeen. He died not long after birth. The tattoo is in memory of him and I got it on what would have been his first birthday. And yes, it's part of the reason I didn't want to go in the maternity ward. Those places bring back extremely painful memories."

Rossi swallowed at the raw grief that flashed across Ryley's face. "I'm very, very sorry Ryley. May I ask what happened?"

She looked at him and shook her head. "I know about your son David. And I'm so sorry. Truly. But this isn't something you can empathize with me on. Sharing and caring doesn't work. Now tonight is supposed to be a happy night in celebration of Spencer and everything that makes him awesome. Let's not ruin it with painful memories."

Hotch nodded once before warning in an undertone. "You will be in my office on Monday and you will talk about it with either myself of David. It's something that contributes to your mental well-being and as such, we need to know about it." He stared at her, pressing his next point home. "If you refuse Ms. Caruso, I will assign you to mandated grief counseling. Are we understood?"

Ryley glowered at her bosses. "Yes you nosy irritants. Now be gone from my kitchen before I decided you'd be better as a meat pie than a FBI agent."

"The scary thing is, I'm not sure if she's joking." Rossi said in a loud whisper as the two men left, leaving Ryley in stitches.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

The rest of the night went off without a hitch. Ryley carried the cake out to a chorus of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" and they all sat in a semi-circle on the floor to watch Casablanca after they were done. Every bit of Ryley's food was devoured by nine hungry people (Ryley couldn't eat. She was too busy worrying about everything being perfect and cleaning up where she could.) and Morgan even grudgingly admitted that the jazz Spencer liked to listen to wasn't so bad.

For Ryley though, the best part of the night was after she'd finally condensed all the platters of food onto two, had the dishes washed, the trash picked up, and the garbage taken out, as she finally got to sit down with the rest of the team to watch the movie. Spencer had actually gotten up and moved to sit next to her, subtly twining their fingers together where their hands lay on the carpet between them. When she had looked over at him, noting that that was the second time that evening they'd held hands, he had given her the shyest, sweetest smile that absolutely melted her heart.

His eyes had bespoke pure joy, and he looked happier than she'd seen him during her entire time spent at the BAU. She let herself have a self-satisfied grin that it had all worked out perfectly. Not even the glower Uncle Kevin sent Spencer, or the loud yelp he gave when Penny pinched him for it, could ruin the night.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"Ryley! Ryley! Wake up! Ryley!" Penny bounced on the pull out, shaking Ryley awake. "It's time to get up! It's time to get up! It's time to get up in the morning!"

Ryley groaned, rolling over and pulling a pillow over her head. Maybe she should look into renting a room from Morgan. "We're on vacation and it's," She glared blearily at the wall, "Oh for Christ's sake! It's eight in the morning Penny! Come back at noon!"

"You wouldn't be so sleepy if you hadn't stayed at Derek's until nearly four in the morning!" Penny yelled in a sing-song voice, bouncing again. "Tell me, did you and my Chocolate Adonis get up to anything naughty? You've got sex hair."

"That's called bed head thanks to the freaking curls you gave me, and no, I did not do anything 'naughty' with Morgan. Unless you count making him take out the second round of garbage." Ryley mumbled, flipping over to glower at Penelope. "He's not the one I'm interested in, remember?"

Garcia laughed, flopping down next to her niece. "Oh, I remember. By the way, the whole holding hand's thing during the movie last night? Totally sweet. Very high school."

"Screw you. He's shy. From what I've heard, that most he's had when it comes to relationships is a quick grope in college, a kiss with Lila Archer, and short relationship with some bartender he met on a case." Ryley replied. "And after Lawrence, I'm more than willing to go a little high school. If this is going anywhere."

Penny tensed at the mention of Ryley's ex. The phrase "He only wants one thing." had been created for that man. "Little one. Did you see the way Reid looked at you after he opened that book. You're his hero."

Ryley laughed. "I don't want to be his hero Penny. I'd like to be his girlfriend."

"Just his girlfriend? Nothing more?"

"Geez Pen. Let us get past the first date, would ya?"

The tech analyst gave an exaggerated pout. "Fine. Oh! What did he say about Saturday?"

"He'd said he'd come and even that I could dress him up, but Derek and I have to stick to him like glue or he runs. Oh, and I have to get him some clothes today." Ryley said. "That reminds me, when are we meeting up with Emily and JJ?"

"As soon as you get ready. We're going to have breakfast and then head out shopping. Prentiss finagled Rossi and Hotch out of their sizes, I've got Kevin's, JJ knows Will's-"

"And I know Morgan and Reid's." Ryley finished. "Alright. I'm getting up. Do you need the bathroom for anything?"

"Nope. I'm good to go."

"Alright. I'll be ready in an hour."


	19. Chapter 19

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"Wow Ry. You look…different." JJ said apprehensively, eyeing the young intern. Ryley laughed. She had purposely chosen to dress in full out gear to show the girl's what they were in for. Black trip pants with green stitching. A corpse bride t-shirt with a long-sleeved black and green striped shirt underneath it. Black leather wristband on one wrist and about twenty black rubber bangles on the other. Large silver skull ring on the middle finger of her right hand. Black choker with chains adorned her neck and she had done her make-up in a way she usually reserved for the themed parties Bobby threw. Regular powder and blush, but her eyes were dark with thick eyeliner and mascara and she wore black lipstick with a green stripe down the center of her lips. Add in her midnight black curls that hung loose to her shoulders and the heavy black boots with green laces that she wore, and the whole effect was… frightening to someone not used to the style. Penny, of course, thought she looked awesome.

"It'll be ok Jayje. I won't make you go this extreme." Ryley assured her blond co-worker as she gave her a hug and purposely kissed her cheek hard, leaving a black and green kiss print on the woman's cheek. "I'm just giving you an idea of one of the many styles you'll see Saturday."

Prentiss smiled and gave Ryley a hug as well, getting her own lipstick print. "I think you look great. You're definitely going to be doing my make-up Saturday."

Penny, supporting her own print, sat happily in the chair. "I know! Who would've thought, seeing how she dresses to work, that our little Ryley could transform into this."

Ryley grinned and nudged her aunt. "I'm a woman of many talents. Oh! JJ! Don't wipe that off!" She cried when she saw the blond get out her compact and a wet wipe, intent on getting the lipstick on her cheek. "It actually serves a purpose. The shop we're going to is ran by a Dom. The mark makes you off limits."

JJ raised her eyebrow, but put away the mirror and wipe. "So you're basically claiming us?"

"I'm sending a message to the owner that you're not on the market." Ryley replied, shrugging. "Unless you want to get hit on by a dominatrix. In that case, by all means, remove the print. But it's the only one you're gonna get."

Prentiss laughed and lightly touched her own mark. "So you're just watching out for us, huh Ry?"

"Hey, the game has changed since you played the scene Emily. Someone's got to watch out for your ass." Ryley replied with a grin, successfully eyeing the first victims of her shock prank. A pair of elderly women as a neighboring table and been tittering and eyeing her from the moment she walked in. By the end of the meal, she'd make sure they thought twice about judging someone based on appearances.

Penelope saw the calculating look on her niece's face as the intern eyed someone from behind her menu. Leaning close, she whispered, "Already picked your prey Ry?"

Ryley nodded toward the neighboring table. "You see those two women over there?" Penelope nodded. "Wait until after we give the waiter out orders, and then watch me work."

Penny stifled and giggle and came back to sitting position. JJ and Emily stared at them curiously and Garcia quickly texted them, explaining what was going on. Roguish smiles spread across their faces, and they winked at Ryley, eager to see what the young woman referred to as "Shock Value" in action.

Just then the waiter came by to get their drink orders. Predictably, they all ordered coffee, though Penny made sure to get a French Vanilla latte and Ryley ordered mocha. Their coffees came, and they all ordered a fruit salad. It was getting close to lunch and would be by the time they finished shopping and Ryley had a restaurant one of her friends owned that she wanted to take the girl's to. As soon as the waiter walked away, ogling Ryley and her outfit the whole time, the girl in Goth get-up winked at her companions and stood up.

"Watch this." She mouthed, making sure her back was to the ladies and turned, walking to their table. "Hello ladies!" She chimed, making her voice as bright and innocent as possible. "I'm so sorry for disturbing you. My friends and I," Ryley gestured back to the table where JJ, Emily, and Penelope sat, watching with rapt attention, "noticed you were both part of the Ladies Auxiliary." She then gestured to the easily recognizable symbols hanging from their necklaces. "We're large supporters of the VFW and veterans everywhere, as well as our actively serving men and women. To thank you for supporting the men and women who come home from wars overseas, we were wondering if we could buy your breakfast."

Ryley had to force her face to remain impassive at the women's gaping mouths. It was priceless! Finally, one of them managed to compose herself long enough to give Ryley a shaky smile. "That would be nice dear. Thank you."

Ryley beamed at them and turned to leave. The other woman stopped her with a soft touch on her arm. "Young lady. If you wouldn't mind holding on just a moment, I have a question for you." Ryley turned back to the table and waited expectantly. The woman rubbed her hands, fidgeting awkwardly. "It's just… You're very kind dear. A well-mannered. Why do you dress this way?"

The Goth smiled down at the woman. "It's comfortable ma'am. To me at least. Besides, it's not as if clothes make the man, or woman in this case. Have a wonderful day. I believe we have the same waiter. I'll make sure he combines your check with ours."

The woman nodded mutely, giving Ryley a slightly confused smile, and the intern headed back to her own table. It was all the girls could do to not to burst out laughing before the other women walked away. As soon as they were out of earshot though, they were practically rolling.

"Oh my God Ry! That was awesome!" Pen cried, clutching her stomach because she was laughing so hard. JJ and Emily were so bad that they were leaning on each other, unable to do more than nod as they literally laughed so hard it hurt. Ryley beamed. That had truly been one of her better tries.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"Welcome to Vampyre! How may I… Ryley! How is my favorite customer? Modeling my wares today I see!" Ryley stifled a giggle at the girl's wide-eyed stares as Georgia stepped around some clothing racks. She couldn't blame them. Georgia was huge. Not weight wise. She was a skinny as a model. But she was tall, nearing 6'6" and as dark as they come. Black everything with a pale white face done up in old-fashioned rice powder, she often shocked people not used to the style. The amazon came forward and gave Ryley a hug. "And you've brought friends! Wonderful! Initiating new people."

Ryley stepped back and stood protectively in front of the girls. She knew that tone. Georgia had seen someone she liked. Watching the woman's eyes, she giggled when she figured out it was Penny. "This is Emily, JJ, and Penelope. I work with them. They're coming out to Renegade with me and I need to outfit them properly." She slowly reached behind her and dragged the women up one by one, hissing at them to show their lipstick print as she did. "We also have to buy clothes for six men."

Georgia arched a brow, whether at the fact that all three of the women obviously bore Ryley's mark or at the number of men, Ryley couldn't tell. "Six. My, my Ryley. Aren't you being selfish. I don't suppose the perfectly delectable Bobby is among those."

Ryley laughed a shook her head. "I'm afraid not, but I'll bring pictures in next time for you to add to your wall. All six men are definitely model-worthy."

"Aww! Ry! I'm gonna tell Kev you said that!" Penny gushed, hugging her niece. Ryley blanched, she hadn't been thinking of her uncle when she said, that then again, she didn't exactly notice the sex appeal of anyone in her family. She wasn't going to disillusion her aunt though. The woman was too happy.

"So, do we want to pick out for the men or women first?" Georgia asked, leering at the tech analyst once again.

Ryley narrowed her eyes and firmly adjusted Penny to where her print was showing. "Actually Georgia, I'm going to help them. I know my way around the store."

Georgia pouted but nodded her consent, and Ryley drug the girls around to the where they kept the skirts. She had a definite idea for what she wanted everyone to wear, and Penny and JJ were getting skirts.

She saw the perfect one for Penelope immediately. It was short and puffy with bright yellow petticoats and a black tulle overskirt. Aunt Penny squealed when she saw it and clutched it to her chest. "It's perfect Ry!"

Ryley smiled and continued surfing through the rack. She wanted to have JJ in a skirt too, but pink, and with a bit more black. Maybe with a few chains. Three racks and a dive into the bargain bin later, and Ryley finally found what she was looking for. Two black tulle petticoats with one of pink tulle sandwiched between them, black satin overskirt with large hot pink roses embroidered around the edge. It came with a wide black belt that had a hot pink rose as a buckle. JJ, whose eyes had been looking at the clothing Ryley pulled out to study with concern, lit up at the sight of the skirt, and Ryley tossed it to her with a laugh. "That one then?"

JJ nodded excitedly. Prentiss laughed, never thinking she'd see her Prom Queen friend so excited over something so off trend. "So what do I get?"

Ryley studied Prentiss for a moment, eyeing the other woman's body. An idea hit her. "You liked the idea of the hooker boots, right?" Prentiss blushed but nodded. "Then I've got the perfect idea, you're ok with purple, right?" Prentiss nodded again. "Then come on. I saw these kick ass skinny jeans the last time I was here. I can't wear them but they'd look awesome on you!"

The intern ripped over to the pants section, flipping through the with what seemed like preternatural speed. With a loud "Ah-ha!" She pulled out a pair of jeans that had all three women gasping in delight. They were dyed black, but a true black, not the dark grey that most "black" jeans seemed to be. Two purple straps hung down on either side like suspenders, just shorter and black vines were stitched into the straps. Emily's eyes brightened and she jerked the pants from Ryley's hands. "Mine!" She cried. "I claim them!"

Ryley laughed and led the women over to the shirts. These would be easier. She wanted them all in corsets, herself included, to solidify them as a group when they get into Renegade. Slowly, she flipped through the racks that housed the garment, looking for something perfect for all of them. She found Prentiss's first. It was a simple black corset whose straps came up in circlet that would settle across her collar bone in lieu of a necklace. The back laced together with a purple ribbon that matched the straps on the jeans perfectly and she wanted to jump for joy when she saw it. Without a word she thrust it at Emily, giving the older woman a warning glare when she opened her mouth to protest.

She found Penny's next. While not quite a corset, it was close enough to solidify her with the group. The top reminded her a bit of the bar wench costumes you see at a Renaissance Fair. The bodice and straps were black while yellow, off the shoulder sleeves billowed down and banded around her wrists. Instead of laces in the back, it hooked, but bright yellow stitching that matched the sleeves and her skirt ran up the length. It was beautiful. When Ryley held it out for her aunt, Penny broke into a bright smile and took it. "It's beautiful Ry, but are you sure I'll fit in it?" Slyly, Ryley showed her how the fabric stretched and Penny's smile got even wider. "You are the most awesome niece in the world, just to let you know."

JJ's took the longest to find, if only because Ryley insisted the shades of pink match perfectly. Finally, she found it. It was a plain black long sleeved shirt, but the stitching was done in a neon pink that matched her skirt. Tucked into the skirt, with the belt wrapped around her waist to accentuate her slender figure, JJ would look stunning. And JJ, being a bit more modest than the other members of her team, loved the fact that it wasn't as skimpy as Prentiss or Garcia's.

She took the skirt gratefully, flashing a warm smile at Ryley, her apprehension lessening as they went on. "Ok. We've got bottoms. We've got tops. What next?"

Ryley laughed. "What do you think babe? Prentiss's favorite part. Shoes!"

The girls had fun, following Ryley around, seeing her in her element. She found a pair of steel toed hooker boots identical to her own that she thrust at a deliriously happy Prentiss, even finding some purple laces to replace the black ones they came with. Penny got a pair of black kitten heels with little yellow bows on them and JJ got a pair of black flats with pink stitching that matched her shirt. Then it was time to outfit the boys.

"Oh! How are we going to do Kevin?" Penny asked, bouncing as they made their way onto the men's side of the store.

"Or Will?"

Prentiss shook her head and hooked arms with Ryley. "I'm so happy I don't have a boyfriend to worry about."

Ryley grinned and arched a brow at her. "What about Sergio? I thought he was just a substitute for a man."

"Hey! Every girl needs someone to come home to at night!" Emily replied, laughing. "So how are you going to outfit the six sexy men taking us out Saturday?"

"Technically, we'll have eight sexy men, depending on whether or not Bobby brings his boyfriend." Ryley corrected with a grin. "But for the six I get to dress up. I have definite ideas."

"Like what?" JJ asked, following the intern over to a wall full of Tripp pants. Ryley had all of the men's outfits pictured in her mind and had from the moment they'd agreed to let her dress them. Of course, some adjustments had to be made to Will's accessories since JJ had roses on her outfit, but other than that, she knew what she wanted.

She pulled out the list of sizes she'd gotten from the girls that morning at breakfast and started with Uncle Kevin's outfit first. The pants with yellow chains were easy enough to find, as was the black t-shirt with a small yellow dragon embroidered on the hip. She threw the clothes to Penny who caught them with ease. "For starters, the couples are all going to match, at least color wise. Aunt Penny, will you please go ask Georgia for a cart." She paused. "On second thought, Emily, will you go?"

Emily nodded and briskly walked away. Ryley continued surfing through the clothes. She found pure black Tripp pants and a plain long-sleeved black shirt for Rossi. Next came Hotch. With an evil grin, she pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans and with purple stitching and purple straps that matched Emily's, minus the vines. It came with a black tank top that had purple stitching along the collar and Ryley had JJ bury the clothes under her own. The communications liaison and tech analyst, seeing the coloring, shook their heads at their intern's trick. Hotch and Emily were in for a surprise come Saturday.

"You know Hotch is going to pitch a fit when he sees you got him skinny jeans, right Ryley?" JJ asked, watching as the younger woman pulled out pure white Tripp pants with black piping. At Penny's arched brow, Ryley quickly explained.

"They're for Derek. They'll look great against his skin tone. And as for Hotch, if he didn't want skinny jeans, he should have said something before giving me free reign."

Penny laughed. "So where's Derek's shirt Ry?"

The intern grinned evilly over her shoulder. "He doesn't get one."

"My God, every woman in the place is going to die."

"Then they'll be buried face-up." Ryley shot back, even knowing that they probably wouldn't get the Shakespearean reference.

The two just shook their head and watched as Ryley quickly worked her way around, grabbing black and red colored clothes for Will, since she highly doubted the Southern boy would wear pink, and even found some clothes with blue and orange twisted stitching for Reid. Briefly, she considered leaving him without a shirt as well, purely for her own enjoyment, but decided against it, knowing he was too self-conscious to ever go for that. Instead, she found plain black wife-beater, and, remembering how he'd looked that morning in his kitchen, decided she was being nice enough by giving him a shirt at all. Next came shoes, and Ryley got lazy with the men, buying them all the same style, making concessions to their outfit by buying laces that matched their lightest color.

Now came Ryley's absolute favorite part, and Penny's. Accessories. Georgia was a fan as well, because an entire room was dedicated to any piece of jewelry you could imagine. Ryley went nuts. Within moments she had everyone's accessories picked out except Reid's. She finally slowed down, studying the men's adornments with care. Finally, she found it. It was a kit, technically, but it came with two leather wristbands and a matching leather choker, plus thread and other attachments that you could use to decorate them yourself. After a whispered conference with Penny, she threw the kit in the cart that Emily had brought back.

"Are we done?" Penny asked, disappointed. Ryley nodded, but smiled at them. "You guys kind of like this style, right? At least for every once in a while?" They all nodded and Ryley clapped happily. "Ok then, stay right here, I'm going to go make a deal with Georgia."

Ryley left them in the accessories section and ran to go get the Amazonian owner. After about fifteen minutes, they both came in, chattering excitedly. Ryley bounced in front of them, and the girls gaped. They'd never seen a happier Goth. "Ok. So I worked a deal out with Georgia here. We all get to pick out one outfit, from head to toe, accessories and shoes included, and as long as we let her take a couple pictures of us in them, we get it all for free!"

The three women gaped at Georgia, who just shrugged in response. "I run a catalog as well. It's actually where most of my business comes from. That and rebellious teenagers. You four are gorgeous and one outfit is well worth what I'll make up in revenue from what the photos of you will sell. Especially you gorgeous." She ogled Penelope. "I'm one of the few that sells plus size and seeing someone like you, oh man, the orders will come pouring in."

Garcia blushed and Ryley moved to stand beside her, sending a silent threat Georgia's way. "Go pick out your outfits girls, whatever you want. I'll help you with accessories when you're ready and Georgia will do your make-up. Then we'll do a quick photo session and it's off to lunch."

The girls sensed the tension in the air and quickly moved off to do as Ryley asked. None of them wanted to be caught in the crossfire between the Amazon and the intern. Ryley forced a pleasant smile until she heard them moving around in the women's clothing section before turning to Georgia.

"They all wear my print. They're all off limits. Especially Penelope. Are we clear?" She hissed out in a dangerous whisper. Georgia backed up, hands in the air, before crossing her arms at the wrists and slightly baring her neck. It was a typical submissive maneuver and Ryley calmed down… somewhat. She pushed the cart toward the owner. "Please go ring this up and store it behind the counter. I'll pay and pick it up before we leave."

The owner nodded once and scurried off while Ryley went to join her coworkers. She had seen the perfect outfit earlier and knew exactly what she wanted to go with it.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

It took two hours and repeated promises of the best pizza in Virginia before they finally left. Nonchalantly, Ryley slid her credit card over the counter when they left, paying for the lot. The sum reached over $700 dollars. While they were leaving, Prentiss cleared her throat uncomfortably.

"Hey Ryley?" She asked, and Ryley glanced over her shoulder. "I know this is the rudest thing to ask, but I've got a question."

"Go ahead Em. I'm an open book."

"It's just, I notice you never flinch about money. Not when we go out or when you picked up those women's checks this morning or with the clothes just now. And I know you're in Georgetown on a scholarship and that the internship is unpaid, and you're always available in the evenings, so-"

"You were wondering where I get money from." Ryley finished for the rambling profiler. "I had a… medical mishap, when I was a teenager. The hospital settled with me for a good amount, and that's what I live off of. I took a chunk of it and invested it, and it's paid off in spades, so I'm pretty much set for the next decade or so."

"Really?" JJ asked, eyeing the young woman. "Cool."

Ryley shrugged. Privately she believed there wasn't enough money in the world to make up for losing her son. She would have happily settled for the nurse who refused to call the doctor when she first came in losing her license, but that happened anyway. And she couldn't deny that the money had come in handy over the past six years, ensuring she didn't have to work and could focus on her studies. Still, if given the choice, she'd give it all up and then some to have Alphord instead. "I suppose. To me, it's just part of life."

"So why do you live with Pen if you're set?" Prentiss asked.

"I like it at Penny's. And I'm not made to live alone. It freaks me out." Ryley admitted, skipping along. "But I pay my half at Penny's. Makes it easier on her. And I help out where I can, cooking and cleaning and running errands."

"Oh. It's not like I was saying you were mooching or anything. I was just curious." Prentiss assured the young woman as she dragged them into a side-door. They entered into a black room. Literally, a black room. It's only illumination was the neon paint on the wall and scattered black lights. For it being so hidden, the place was packed with people, most of them dressed like Ryley. Well, all of them now. Ryley had talked them into wearing the outfits here with her. Now they knew why.

The host rushed from behind the podium, swinging Ryley around in a hug. "Ry-Wa! I've missed you!" The man cried in an effeminate voice. "You haven't come to see me in ages!"

Ryley laughed and kissed his cheek sloppily. "I've been busy my love! I got that internship at the FBI!"

The man picked her up and swung her around again. "I'm so proud of you my Ry-Wa! Is it everything you hoped?"

"Even better!" She replied, smiling widely. "Speaking of which," Ryley jerked her head in the girls direction. "This is Penny, Emily, and JJ. Penny is the bubbly one. Emily is the brunette. JJ is the blond. Girls, this is sexy hunk of unfortunately fruity man meat is the most amazing guy on earth, Wade. Wade, girls. Girls, Wade. There. You've been introduced."

Wade laughed and gave Ryley a hard kiss on the forehead. "God I've missed your incredible rudeness. You know beautiful, you really should let me go so I can say hello to these gorgeous vixens you've brought into my restaurant."

Ryley exaggerated a pout. "But I like hanging on my Way-La! And you're right, I haven't seen you in forever. I want your attention for a little while longer!"

"You've had my attention long enough. Besides, I'll see you plenty on Saturday."

She cocked her head to the side, staring up at him before starting to jump up and down excitedly and giving Wade kissing pecks all over his face. "No wonder the ponce wouldn't tell me who his new boyfriend is! I can't believe he finally asked! I'm so happy for you Way-La!"

Wade smiled and swung her around again and again until they were both dizzy. "I couldn't believe it either! He didn't even really ask! He just kind of, kissed me, and we've been together ever since!"

"Took him long enough! Christ! You two have been dancing around it for two years!"

"You don't have to tell me, I'm the one who's been forced to wait patiently since he's so traditional." Wade giggled.

Stepping forward, Penny tapped Ryley on the shoulder. "Uh… Ry? Care to explain what going on?"

Ryley immediately let go of Wade and bounced back. "I'm sorry guys. Like I said, this is Wade, who is apparently my friend Bobby's new boyfriend." Her grin threatened to split her face wide open.

Wade bowed deeply. "Now, I see your laden with bags from Vampyre, and since you're with Ry-Wa, I can only assume she's had you trapped there for hours. You must be hungry. Anything you want, on the house since you're with my boyfriend's best friend."

The girls glanced at each other before laughing. "Well," Prentiss said, studying the menu painted on the wall behind the host's podium. "Ryley did promise us the best pizza in Virginia."

"Ry-Wa! Did you really say that about my food?" Wade asked, eyes watering.

Ryley patted his back. "Of course Way-La! It's only the truth."

"Should I get them your usual then?" He asked.

She looked over her shoulder at the girls. "Any of you vegetarians?" They all shook their heads and Ryley turned back, smiling at Wade. "Definitely my usual. Extra Large."

"Give me forty-five minutes beautiful." Wade said, hustling to the back. "Go sit at your table. What do you want to drink."

The girl's called out their orders as they followed Ryley to the far back corner of the restaurant, where a single booth was, blocked off by a low steel gate. Prentiss whistled. "He literally meant your table, didn't he?"

Ryley nodded. "Remember that investment I said I made?" They all nodded and Ryley spread her arms to encompass the restaurant. "Wade and I grew up together. He's the one that taught me to cook. So when he said he wanted to start a restaurant, I gave him the start-up money. In return, I get 25% of the profits after the bills are paid."

"Meaning?" JJ asked.

"Meaning, after the electricity is taken care of, the vendors have been compensated, and the employees paid, I get 25% of what's left and Wade gets the other 75%. The place isn't well known. You're pretty much brought in or you stumble in by accident. But once you eat Wade's food, you always come back. He's just that good." Ryley beamed.

JJ, Prentiss, and Penny shook their heads. This girl lived in such a different world from them that it was ridiculous. "Who else knows about all this?" Penny asked.

"Bobby and Spence." Ryley replied, smiling sweetly at Wade as he sat a tall frosty glass in front of her. Wade arched a brow at the mention of yet another new name.

"Spence, Ry-Wa? Have you found a new beau?"

"Nope. Just a good friend. You've seen him. I brought him in here a few weeks ago."

"The tall skinny geek?" Ryley smacked Wade's stomach. "Ow! What?"

"He's not a geek. And yes, him." Ryley said, glaring up at her friend.

Wade laughed and gave her another kiss on the forehead. "Whatever you say beautiful. I've got to go man the kitchen. I don't trust Vernon back there."

Ryley shook her head as Wade walked away sipping at her drink. Looking up to catch the girls staring at her, she shrunk back. "What?"

"Well one, you just defended Reid." Prentiss said with a grin.

"And two, you're very affectionate with Wade." JJ added.

Penny shrugged. "I just want to know what you're drinking."

Ryley rolled her eyes and passed her glass to Penny. "It's frozen hot chocolate with cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Something special Wade created for me when we were kids. We're so affectionate because we've literally grown up together. As in, ran around in nothing but our diapers, grew up together. And of course I defended Spence. He's my friend."

Penny hummed appreciatively as she took a sip of Ryley's drink and passed it to Prentiss. "That's really good!"

Prentiss nodded in agreement and took a second big sip before passing it to JJ. "And you're not fooling anyone with the whole 'he's just my friend' thing. We all saw him move next to you and hold your hand last night."

JJ's eye opened wide and she looked at the glass in shock. "Oh my god! That's delicious!" She exclaimed. "Did you really run around in diapers with Wade?"

Ryley's grabbed her glass back before more could disappear. "It is delicious. I told you Wade's good. Yes, I really ran around in diapers with him. My mom has pictures somewhere. And Spence is just my friend, for now. Come on, let's talk about something else. Like how hot our boys are going to look in the clothes we just got them."

The conversation focused around Saturday and the boys after that, continuing even while the pizza came and Ryley asked for four more of her special drink. "Just tell Wade it's for Ry-Wa. He'll know what to make."

Wade brought the drinks out himself, and made each of them personal pizzas to take home as well as to-go glasses of Ryley's drink for each of them when they gushed over the food. Ryley was proud of her friends. She's never seen Wade so puffed up from pride, not even after that food critic came in and gave him five stars.

They stayed there until Wade come through to tell them it was past four in the evening before heading home. They all split back at their cars in Vampyre's parking lot. With calls of "See you later!" and "This was so much fun! We've got to do it again!" they headed home.

Ryley immediately collapsed on the couch and smiled a Penny when the tech analyst plopped down next to her. "Pizza in the fridge and sip on our drinks while we watch hopelessly clichéd chick flicks?"

"Definitely."


	22. Chapter 22

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Wednesday passed in a blur of reading, movies, cooking, and Uncle Kevin grumping because he wasn't allowed to see his outfit until Saturday. The same with Thursday morning and before Ryley knew it, it was an hour before Spencer was due to pick her up for the lecture, and she was freaking out.

"Ryley!" Penny laughed from the bed. "You don't even freak out this much when you go out clubbing. Why are you freaking out now?"

"I'm dressing in my costume when I go out. It makes me feel safe and powerful and confident. I'm not dressing like that tonight! I'm supposed to be looking normal!" Ryley cried from the bathroom, trying to untangle her curls.

Penny sighed and moved from the bed to stand in the bathroom doorway. "If you feel more confident in the Goth clothes, then wear them." She said simply. "Spencer's already seen you in them, so it's not like he'll be shocked."

"Yeah, but what if he doesn't like it? What if he was just tolerating it because that's what I happened to meet him in that night?" Ryley asked, true panic in her eyes.

Penny sighed and pulled her niece into a hug. "Spencer isn't like that babe. He would've said something if he didn't like the clothes. The brain-to-mouth appropriateness filter is busted on him."

Ryley sighed and leaned against the counter. "I don't know what to do Penny. I've never been this nervous before."

"Then listen to me." Garcia said, grabbing Ryley by the shoulders. "Grab your cutest Goth outfit, get your make-up bag out to let me play around with you, and when Spencer gets here, be the sweet, smart, funny girl he already likes. You two have gone to lectures together a dozen times before. Tonight isn't going to be any different except he's picking you up like a proper date and there might be some hand-holding and smooching at some point."

Ryley sucked in a deep breath and nodded before launching herself at Garcia. "What would I do without you Penelope."

"Die of a panic attack before you got to go on your date." She joked, pushing Ryley toward the closet. "Go. Get your clothes. I'll do your make-up. You're gonna look gorgeous Ry."


	23. Chapter 23

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Spencer paused before knocking nervously on Garcia's door. He didn't know what the problem was. He'd been to Garcia's a 413 times before. He'd gone to different lectures with Ryley 4 times before. This was not a new experience, by any means. So why were those "butterflies" back? And why had he gotten so worried about his appearance that he'd actually allowed JJ to take him shopping? Now, not only was he standing in front of Garcia's apartment, nervous for some inexplicable reason, and worried about doing something he'd done before, but he was doing so in jeans that he felt were entirely too tight and a black button-up shirt, sans sweater-vest, with the top two buttons undone, and no tie. He thought he looked ridiculous. JJ and Prentiss insisted he looked hot.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kevin finally jerked the door open. Reid instinctually recoiled. Kevin was sending him the death glare to end all death glares. After a few moments of the terrifying glower, the normally affable tech analyst jerked his head, indicating that Spencer should come inside. "Penny is just finishing up with Ryley's make-up. You and I need to talk."

Spencer gulped, every teenager's worst nightmare coming true at the ripe old age of twenty-seven. Silently, he followed Kevin into the apartment. Kevin settled into the armchair by the couch and gestured for Reid to sit down. Once the young genius was settled, Ryley's uncle speared him with another hard glare. "Listen and listen well Spencer. My Penny thinks highly of you, and that's the only reason I'm allowing you to date my niece. But between being forced into parenthood in the third grade by my worthless sisters and their husbands, what she went through with her actual son, and how hard she's worked to make something of herself since then, she deserves a good lot in life, so here's your one and only warning. If you hurt her, I will ensure that your rap sheet goes from squeaky clean to wanted in every state and by several communist countries in three seconds flat. Are we understood?"

Reid nodded rapidly, clutching his messenger bag for dear life. How was he supposed to respond to that. When Kevin relaxed and settled back into the chair, Spencer concluded he wasn't supposed to and waited in awkward silence for Ryley to appear. With his first glance at her, he decided it was worth it.

He loved her in Goth clothes. Truly, honest to some deity, loved her in them. She carried herself differently, spoke with more strength behind her voice, and walked taller than normal. It was a beautiful transformation. This time was no different, though he caught an endearing trace of shyness in her eyes and smile. He stood from the couch and walked to her, well aware of Kevin's eyes boring into his back. "You look beautiful Ryley." He murmured, ducking his head. "Are you ready to go?"

Silently, Ryley nodded, sending a smile and wave to Penelope and Kevin before practically sprinting to the door. Quite a feat in the heels she was wearing. Reid followed her with a smile wave to Garcia and Kevin, breathing a sigh of relief when he closed the door to the apartment behind him. Ryley was waiting in the hall and he took a moment to truly study her without her uncle boring holes into the back of his head.

She had chosen well for her figure. A black satin corset that stopped just below her breasts cinched in her waist and exaggerated her natural hourglass form. She wore an electric blue tank-top underneath it that matched perfectly with the Celtic knots embroidered into the hem of her puffed black skirt and the laces of the calf-high heeled boots she wore. Tights in the same shade of blue covered the rest of her legs and an arm bracelet in the shape of a vine with blooming flowers wrapped around her upper arm. Black and blue rubber bangles hung from her wrist on the opposite side, and he found himself fascinated with the choker that matched her arm bracelet, one bright blue flower blooming in the hollow of her throat. She wore her hair loose, the curls rioting around her head and she wore her make-up in a more extreme style than he was used to seeing on her. Her eyes were heavily lined with bright blue eyeliner, while her lashes were coated with deep black mascara and her lips were a deep red, but not glossy. Reviewing what he knew about make-up, Reid concluded that she'd probably used a lip-stain instead of the traditional lipstick.

While he was studying her, Ryley was studying him, and what she saw made her heart stutter. He looked… hot! That was the only word to describe it. She didn't know what had made him dress like that tonight, but she was glad. Shyly, she took his hand in hers and laced their fingers together. "Are you ready to go?"

He smiled at her. "Yes please. The further away from Kevin the better. Your uncle can be frightening when he chooses."

Ryley threw her head back and laughed. "I'd ask what he said, but I don't want to know. It would only end up irritating me, and I'd prefer to be happy tonight.

Reid squeezed her fingers lightly while they headed down the stairs. "Me too."


	24. Chapter 24

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"So what did you say to him?" Penelope asked, snuggling on Kevin's lap.

He kissed her hair lightly. "Do you really want to know?"

"Not particularly." She murmured, tilting her head back and giving him a real kiss. "Just promise you didn't scare him too badly. Ryley really likes him and he'll be good for her."

Kevin nodded and deepened the kiss. "Do you think they would have left the house if I thought otherwise?"

Penelope laughed against his lips. "I hate to break it to you Kev, but Ryley's a pretty tough girl. I don't think you could have stopped her."


	25. Chapter 25

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Reid and Ryley stumbled from the lecture hall, laughing so hard that tears were streaming from their eyes. They'd only made it thirty minutes before the sheer ridiculousness of what the lecturer was spewing caused them to abandon ship. Seriously though, "Stem cells are the mutilated remains of murdered infants."? And people were buying that crap! Oh my god! Ryley would have seriously thought that dude was trying to be funny if Spencer hadn't stood up to argue with him and it had become horrifyingly apparent that he truly believed the bologna falling out of his mouth.

"So," She giggled, leaning on him as they headed down the hallway. "We've learned a lesson here tonight, correct?"

Reid nodded emphatically. "Never go to a lecture at the local community college unless you know the lecturer." He doubled over laughing again. "I can't believe people are actually in there learning from that clown!"

Ryley fell against the wall, his laughter infectious. "I can't believe your so calm about this. As a scientist, I figured you'd be furious."

Spencer gave a huge smile and held up a tape recorder from inside his pocket. "The tape in here will magically make its way onto the Dean's desk morning and that so called 'professor' will be out of a job by noon. No reason to be angry when I know he won't have the chance to poison any more minds."

"And people call me evil!" She exclaimed, giggling again. Spencer grabbed her hand, becoming more and more comfortable touching her as the night went on, and pulled her down the hallway to get to the front doors.

He looked behind him, smiling at her happy face and loving the way her grip instinctually tightened around his the moment he laced their fingers together. "You know, if we hurry, we can probably take a quick tour around the art museum before it closes."

"That would be awesome Spence!" Ryley exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "They've got this great exhibit of a lot of Van Gogh's work right now! Starry Nights is there!"

They walked steadily to the corner, intent on flagging down a taxi. "You like that painting?"

"Have you ever seen Starry Nights, Spencer?" He shook his head, and she leaned over, kissing his cheek. "Then trust me, when you see it, you'll understand."

A taxi pulled up the curb and he got in, blushing furiously, his cheek burning where she'd kissed him.


	26. Chapter 26

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Spencer stared in awe at the painting in front of him. Ryley was right, he understood when he saw it. The painting almost seemed alive. The way the thick oil paint swirled and dipped across the canvas gave the true impression of wind blowing across the night sky and even after all the years, the deep crevices of the stars leant it a shadowy quality that bespoke of true starlight. When he stared at the tiny village below, each house demensionalized by the paint, he could almost believe he was standing on a hill top looking down on the whole scene. It was captivating.

Without thinking, he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her in front of him, linking his hands over her stomach and resting his chin on her shoulder. "It's beautiful Ryley."

She smiled and nudged him lightly. "I told you."

"When did you first see it?"

She smiled, letting her head fall back slightly so that they were cheek to cheek. "I was seven, and we were in Houston visiting my grandfather. He used to take me to museums and bookstores for my birthday and Christmas because I preferred them to amusement parks and toy stores. That year, he took me to the art museum for the first time, and there it was. I couldn't explain it. I was drawn to it from the get-go though. Popi must have stood behind me while I stared at it, wanting to touch it and feel the paint, for a good fifteen minutes. It's stayed with me ever since. Anytime in a town where it's showing, I make sure I visit." She smiled softly, eyes firmly planted on the painting. "It still captivates me."

He nodded, easily able to envision the scene she painted with her words. "I understand. I don't think I'll ever be able to forget this."

She smiled and kissed his cheek again, making him blush, just as he had the first time. "Of course you can't. You have an eidetic memory."

"That's not what I meant and you know it Ryley." He murmured, running a hand up her side where he knew she was ticklish. She jumped a little and squirmed, trying to get away from his hand.

"Spence! Stop!" She cried, wiggling away as he increased the pressure. Laughing, she turned in his arms, looping her own around his neck. "That's not fair!"

He couldn't speak. Her wide amber eyes were staring up at him, sparkling with laughter, and he could swear in that moment that every painting in the world paled in comparison to her. She cocked her head to the side, still smiling as she waited for him to say something. Internally, he was debating on whether or not to kiss her. He wanted to, but he wasn't sure if this was the right time or place or even if it was appropriate for their first date and-

"Excuse me." A voice coughed from behind them, and Spencer and Ryley quickly broke apart, staring guiltily at the floor. "I'm sorry to interrupt." The guard said with a smile at the young lovers. The girl was dressed strangely, but he'd been eavesdropping as she told the young man she was with about seeing the Van Gogh for the first time. It was hard not to like someone who could feel so much passion for one of your favorite works. "We're closing now. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Both of them nodded and shot the guard a smile before walking from the room, linking their hands together as they went. He smiled after them. They reminded him of himself and his wife when they first started out.

Ryley's heart was racing. For a moment there, in front of the painting, she could have sworn Spencer was about to kiss her. That would have been perfect, having their first kiss in front of Starry Nights. She sighed in disappointment, gripping his fingers a little tighter as they moved through the museum.

Spencer heard the sigh and wondered about it. It was probably just from having to leave the museum, he reasoned, and moved a little faster. "Are you hungry?" He asked her over his shoulder. "I know an all-night coffee shop near hear. They play jazz music and have the occasional poetry reading. I'm sure they have the peppermint mocha coffees you like."

She smiled and her step got a little more bounce in it. "That sounds great Spence!" She said, "I'm not quite ready to go home yet." I'm not quite ready to stop spending time with you yet.

"Then let's go." He replied, pulling her a little closer. "Maybe I'll be able to get you to eat a cake pop this time."

"Not in this lifetime mister." Ryley retorted, squinching her face in disgust. Spencer laughed and drug her along.


	27. Chapter 27

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"That was vile!" Ryley exclaimed, laughing with Spencer as they trudged up the stairs to Penelope's apartment. "Seriously, how can someone who hates icing like those things? They're entirely too sweet!"

"They're not too sweet! They're delicious!" Spencer cried, laughing again at the look of pure disgust on her face that just the memory of her one bite of cake pop brought.

Ryley shook her head while wrinkling her nose, something Spencer found impossibly adorable. "They should be put up there with rotten tomatoes and white chocolate."

He gave her a look of faux shock. "You don't like white chocolate? Blasphemy!"

"Chocolate is supposed to be brown, thank you very much." She replied with a sniff.

Reid chuckled at her teasing as they pulled up in front of Garcia's door. "You're home milady." He quipped with a bow.

Ryley laughed and slipped into his arms for a hug. "Thank you Spencer." She whispered, propping her chin on his chest. "Tonight was perfect."

He looked down at her, entranced, once again, by the laughter in her eyes. "Really? Even though the lecture was a joke?"

"Especially because the lecture was such a joke." She assured him, ducking her head as a blush stained her cheeks. "I think just getting to spend time with you, no matter what we did, would've made it perfect."

Spencer's breath stopped. "Ryley…" He trailed off. For once he didn't know what to say.

She glanced up at him, and he tightened his arms around her. Once again he debated about whether or not he should kiss her. Just as he decided to, Garcia's door opened beside them and Kevin poked his head out.

"I thought I heard you out here." Ryley's uncle claimed with mock innocence and Ryley debated banging her head into the wall. She really, really, really had to look into renting a room from Morgan.

"Yes Uncle Kevin. I'm home." She told the tech analyst with strained patience. "I'll be in in a moment."

"Well why don't you both come in now? Penny and I were just watching Star Wars."

Spencer shook his head. "Are you sure you're 23?" He whispered in Ryley's ear.

She giggled and whispered back, "As far as Uncle Kevin's concerned, I'm 10 and will remain that way for the rest of my natural life."

He chuckled and softly set her away. "I need to get home." He said in normal tone as he squeezed Ryley's hand. "I'll call you tomorrow?"

She nodded happily and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I'll make sure Penny keeps Uncle Kevin away next time." She murmured in his ear. Grinning, Spencer turned his head and returned the kiss on her cheek.

He gave her hand one last squeeze before turning to leave. Ryley watched him disappear down the stairs before rounded on her uncle. "Inside. Now." She gritted out between clenched teeth.

Kevin gulped and quickly ducked back into the apartment. Maybe he'd taken protecting her a little too far. That thought was only confirmed when she stormed past him without a word, stopping only to grab some pajamas before stomping into the bathroom.

Penny sighed at the rage on her niece's face and turned accusing eyes on Kevin. "What did you do?"

"Well… You see… I…" He stuttered out, knowing he was about to be in trouble.

"You opened the door and didn't just listen at it, didn't you!" She accused, standing up and putting her hands on her hips.

"They got quiet!"

"Because he was probably kissing her! Or about to judging by how upset our niece is!"

Kevin faltered. "She's upset? I thought she was just mad."

Garcia shook her head at the complete obliviousness of all men everywhere and walked her boyfriend to the door. "I'll fix this. But this is the last time." She stopped him in the doorway, giving him a soft kiss. "I know you still feel like she's your little niece. But she's grown up Kevin. You've got to let her live her life." She smiled at him while she pushed out into the hallway. "Don't you want her to find what we have?", was her parting shot before she closed and locked the door in his dumbstruck face. Let him think on that!


	28. Chapter 28

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Ryley was still irritated with Kevin come morning, but she wasn't pissed off anymore. She was serious about looking into renting a room from Morgan though. This was ridiculous!

For once, she was up before Penny and she showered and dressed quickly. She was going to go to her favorite coffee shop and wait for Derek to wake up. Ryley was going to take care of this today!

It didn't take her long. One of the great thing about Virginia in the summer was that you could still wear jeans. In Texas, or even Oklahoma, where most of her family lived, you had to change to shorts or capris or risk dying of heat stroke. Besides, being able to wear jeans, tactical boots, and a vintage Metallica t-shirt ensured he wouldn't get to see her in Goth get-up before tomorrow night. She was looking forward to shocking the men on the team.

Once at the coffee shop, she curled into a booth in the corner and started to read after shooting off a text message to Derek. It was just breaking eight a.m., so she figured she still had another hour or so before she'd get a response. She was wrong. One came less than five minutes later.

**_What's up Little One? Sorry. I was in the shower._**

She laughed and quickly replied.

_Sexy. Alone?_

**_Wouldn't you like to know? ;)_**

_So what are you up to this morning?_

**_Imitating a couch potato. You?_**

_Looking to visit my favorite profiler._

**_Reid's at home Little One._**

_I was talking about you jerk. Spence is my favorite SEXY profiler._

**_Ouch! That hurts babe. And I really don't want to think about Reid as sexy. Or you crushing on Pretty Boy._**

_Eh. Too bad. You set this into motion._

**_Me? How?_**

_Hey, if you had lied and told Spence we were sleeping together, he never would have asked me out. Therefore, your fault._

**_Little One, you thought he was sexy before he ever even asked me about that._**

_I thought you didn't want to think about me crushing on "Pretty Boy". :D_

**_I don't. You're evil. I'm going to go watch Lethal Weapon now._**

_If I promise not to talk about Reid's exceptionally cute little bubble butt can I come over?_

**_Ew! Ryley Anne Caruso! _**

_You know, if you say no, I'm going to give you a play by play of what I find sexy about the good doctor and even speculate about the size of his… well… you know._

**_… You're pure, unadulterated evil Little One. Where are you? Do I need to come pick you up?_**

_I'll take the Metro._

**_… I'll come get you. Where are you?_**

_The coffee shop down the road from Penny's. What is with you guys and not wanting me to ride the Metro? It's perfectly safe._

**_Too many years as a cop. I'll be there in 15. Behave yourself._**

_I know how to do that?_

**_… Good point. Just don't get arrested._**

_I make no promises. See you in 15 Morgan._


	29. Chapter 29

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

It only took ten minutes. Derek walked in the coffee house, but Ryley was so engrossed in her book, T.H. White's The Once and Future King, that she didn't notice until he slid into the seat across from her. A waitress was by their table on an instant, and, not wanting to deal with the fawning that Morgan always got in public, Ryley leaned over and laced their fingers together, giving the waitress a saccharine smile. The woman got the hint immediately and left as soon as she got Derek's order, not bothering to stick around and flirt.

Derek laughed as soon as she was out of earshot. "Possessive much Little One?"

"I just really don't want to deal with flirting and fawning this early in the morning." Ryley replied, letting go of his hand and sitting back. "And that waitress has always annoyed me."

"Flirted with Reid?" He asked, arching a brow.

Ryley laughed. "Actually, Reid and I have never came here together. She tried flirting with Hotch, but he ignored her."

Derek winced. "Ouch. Bet she didn't take that well."

"Passed us off to another server." She responded with a laugh. "She'll probably do it again this time."

Sure enough, it was a waiter that came back with Derek's black coffee, greeting Ryley by name and asking if they need anything else. Ryley assured him that they were fine and smiled at him until he walked away. Groaning, she laid her head on the table. "Please drink your coffee Morgan. This is not a conversation I want to hold in public."

He reached over and tousled her hair. "Should I be worried?"

"Nope. It's just going to sound like an odd conversation to anyone who doesn't know us, and these walls have ears."

Derek nodded and quickly finished his coffee. "Come on then. I'm curious now."


	30. Chapter 30

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"So what do you need to talk to me about Little One?" Morgan asked, plopping down on his couch and pulling her down with him. Ryley laughed and settled on her back, laying her head in his lap and staring up at him.

"How would you feel about a roommate?" She finally asked.

"You have a friend that needs a place to stay or something?" He asked, looking down at her in confusion.

Ryley shook her head. "Nope. I need a new place to stay and I was wondering if you'd rent a room to me."

"What's wrong with Baby Girl's?"

"Uncle Kevin." She growled, eyes narrowing dangerously.

Derek laughed. "What did he do this time?"

"I was on a date last night and about to get a kiss when the overprotective jerk opened the door and started this whole fake innocent 'Oh! I thought I heard you out here! Won't you come in?' shtick! And I'm pretty sure he threatened the guy while Penny was finishing my make-up!"

"Was he scared?"

"When Uncle Kevin threatened him, I think so. When Kevin pulled the whole fake innocent act, I don't think so. He just kind of chuckled and kissed my cheek before leaving."

Derek shook his head. "Who is this guy anyway? I saw Reid holding your hand at the party. I figured you two had probably just admitted it and were together."

Ryley shrugged, an impish gleam in her eyes. "Who says we didn't?"

"I didn't take you for the cheating type Little One." He said, frowning down at her. "Please tell me you're joking. Because I'd hate to have to hate you."

She slapped his stomach. "Of course I'm not cheating! Spencer was my date! He asked me to go to a lecture with him the morning after we got back from out latest case."

Derek, who had been tense ever since her poor joke, visibly relaxed. "So… you and Pretty Boy? And a lecture? I wish I could say I was surprised, but that sounds like Reid's idea of a date. How'd it go?"

She arched an eyebrow up at him. "I was finally going to get a kiss from the über shy doctor. How do you think it went?"

"Ah what the intellectual stimulation of a lecture can do for Reid." Morgan joked laughing down at her.

Ryley smiled. "Actually, the lecture was a total bust. Dude mutilated it."

"And you still had a good time?"

She shrugged. "We left not long after it started. Then we went to the art museum and I showed him Van Gogh's Starry Nights." She smiled dreamily, wrapping her arms around her waist where Reid's had been the night before. "He held me and I thought he was going to kiss me there, but a guard interrupted us and said the museum was closing. Then we went to this coffee place near there and talked for a few hours before he took me home an Uncle Kevin pulled his stunt."

"Since when are you into such innocent romance Little One? I thought you were more mature than that."

"I'm actually liking this jaunt back to high school days. It's, relaxing. Not nearly as harrowing or indecisive as 'adult' relationships." Ryley shot back with a giggle. "Besides, it's not like we've gone completely sophomore. We're not calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend. We're not trying to put limits or definitions on our relationship. Hell, we're not even saying it's a relationship. We're just kind of letting it ride. Seeing what happens."

Morgan nodded and flipped on his TV, setting it to the channel that had the Lethal Weapon marathon on. "But you're still called last night a date, it's exclusive, or at least I'm assuming it is. You hang out with guys apparently, but Reid's the first one I've heard of you actually being interested in, and I'm still amazed Reid touches you as much as he does, since he even shies away from JJ. I can't see him being so affectionate with anyone else. And Kevin is pulling the whole daddy-on-the-front-porch-with-a-shotgun thing, so it's still pretty high school."

"Eh. Could be worse. But speaking of Uncle Kevin, shouldn't we get back to the whole point of this conversation?" She pointed out. "Would you be open to a roommate or not? I'll pay half the bills, cook, clean, and watch Clooney when you're out of town."

"Will we get to do this on a regular basis and will you keep it down if Reid comes over?" He asked, referring to them relaxing on the couch together.

"I'll do you one better. If Reid and I ever get to that point, we'll keep it at his house. And yeah, we can do this on a regular basis, as long as you don't get pissy when I cuddle with Reid instead, when he's over."

"Trust me, I'm just going to be happy to see Pretty Boy in a relationship. Am I going to have to deal with a bunch of your friends?"

"Bobby for a split second here and there when we go out. Maybe his boyfriend if he comes over."

"Will Penny and Kevin be over constantly?"

"I'll spend at least one evening a week over at Penny's to keep them sane and away from you."

"Are you going to want to throw a lot of parties for the team?"

"Nope. And if I do it'll either be a special occasion or I'll ask your permission first. And I'll do clean-up."

"You said you'll cook?"

"Just tell me what you want to eat and pay your half of the grocery bill."

"When can you move in?"


	31. Chapter 31

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

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Telling Penny and Uncle Kevin she's was renting a room from Morgan instead of continuing to live with the bubbly tech analyst turned out to be easier than she thought. Penny just smiled sadly and said she'd start helping Ryley pack. Uncle Kevin looked guiltily at the floor and apologized for how he'd acted the night before, but conceded that it would be better for her to be a little more independent from her family. They had one last dinner together as a family, and Ryley finally made Uncle Kevin his favorite meal to make the process a little easier on him.

Morgan came over late that evening to help her load up her boxes, mainly full of clothes and books, and head back to his house. One small box, that she was extremely protective over, caught it attention. It was wooden and obviously handmade with a simple teddy bear carved into the bottom left-hand corner. No one could touch it but her, not even Penny, and it rode in the cab of the truck with them. Morgan kept shooting glances at it and the way her hands curved around it, her grip tightening with each bump in the road. Still, he knew better than to ask. The look on her face as she ran her thumb over the bear could keep even the most curious profiler silent. Whatever was in that box was extremely important.

After Ryley had gotten all her things upstairs and started to unpack, she texted Reid. It had come as a surprise to her how proficient the tech-phobic genius was at texting. Silently, she tossed her phone on the bed and continued to unpack. Morgan came in to help just as her phone vibrated.

"Texting lover-boy?" He asked, grabbing on of the boxes of books and beginning to line them up on the room's built in shelves. He had originally designed this room for Reid in case the young genius ever found himself needing a place to stay. Reid and Penelope are the only ones who got that consideration in his house.

Ryley smiled and rolled her eyes. She had all of her office clothes and her everyday clothes put up, all that was left where her weekend clothes. She threw a corset on the bed when her phone vibrated again and Morgan whistled. "Damn Little One. No wonder Reid went for you if you wore shit like that."

She smiled at him coyly and flipped open her phone. Spencer's message immediately filled the screen.

**_Hi. I tried calling you earlier this morning. You didn't answer._**

_ Sorry. I was working out new living arrangements._

**_ Really? Wonderful! Last night was much too awkward._**

_ You're telling me. It's ok though. I'm actually unpacking in my new quarters as we speak._

**_ That was fast. Where are you living? And would you like me to come help?_**

_ If you want to come over, I'm sure Derek wouldn't mind. I'm renting a room from him by the way. Hold on a sec and I'll ask._

Ryley peeped over the phone and smiled engagingly at her new roommate. "I don't suppose you want to be incredibly amazing yet again and let Spencer come over?"

Derek laughed. "Make you a deal. I've got the stuff to make brownies with walnuts in the kitchen. Make a batch of those and Spence can come over."

"Let me finish putting up my clothes and you've got a deal."

He nodded as her phone vibrated.

**_What did he say?_**

_ I have to make brownies, but you can come over._

_**Are you sure living with Derek will allow you more freedom than living with Penny?**_

_ Just come over Spence, and I'll explain everything, ok?_

_**Ok.**_

Ryley sighed and threw her phone back on the bed. Derek watched her carefully as she started hanging up more of her clothes. "Everything ok Little One?"

"I think I'm going to get more problems from Spencer about living here than I did from Penny and Uncle Kevin." She admitted, frowning slightly as she carefully attached one of her skirts to a hanger and slipped it in the closet.

"Just wait until the rest of the team finds out. The jokes won't stop." He predicted, going back to stacking her books on the shelves. "But I can see where Spencer's reaction would be more worrisome than that." She nodded absently. "Maybe you should have talked to him before asking me about this?"

"No. One, we haven't been in a relationship, or dating, or whatever it is we're doing exactly, for long enough to warrant that kind of thing, and two, I need him to trust me. If he can't do that, then there can't be a relationship anyway." Ryley said, brow furrowed in worry.

"What if there's love? Or respect?" Morgan asked, curious about her views on all of this.

She shrugged. "You can't have either of those without trust, so that's impossible."

Morgan shook his head as he put the last book up. "Is it really that simple for you?"

"Nothing involving love is simple Morgan." Ryley said, folding the last pair of Tripp pants over the hanger. "But everything, in any relationship, boils down to trust. If you don't trust the person, you can't have anything else with them."

"Really?" He crossed his arms, staring at her.

She nodded, moving to grab her make-up case from the box that held all her toiletries and slip it on her dresser. "Really. Think about it. If you didn't trust Reid or Prentiss as your partners, could you work with them as well as you do? If you didn't trust your mom, would you be as close to her as you are? If you didn't trust me, would I be your new roomie?"

"That's a really good point Ry." Morgan conceded, watching as she carefully placed the small wooden box from before on the window seal. Mustering his courage, he asked "What's in there?"

She gave him a sad smile over her shoulder. "I'll tell you one day. But not tonight. Come on. I'll but the rest of the stuff in the bathroom later. For right now you can keep me company while I bake the brownies."


	32. Chapter 32

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

_**Iogracer: Lol. Hackers do make the best threats! :D That's why I had to have Kevin as an over-protective papa-bear in this story! I'm glad you liked this story. Like I said, I'll work on it when the whim hits, but the updates aren't going to be regular. It could be days. It could be months. It all depends.**_

_**nicole: Thank you honey. Updates will come. It'll be sketchy, but there.**_

_**Mikado X Goddess: Rofl. Love the pun, bad joke or not. I'm glad you like it! Like I said in the original author's note, this story is far from over, but updates are going to random. I can't promise when they'll come, only that they will... eventually.**_

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_**Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who had followed, favorited, or reviewed this story! I can't tell you how much it means to me! You are all awesome! Here's a few new chapters for all you patient people!**_

* * *

Spencer stood nervously outside Derek's door, listening to the music rattling the windows. He recognized the beat. It was the type of wordless thrumming Ryley loved to listen to when she was upset or nervous. He wondered what was bothering her. _Please just let it be because it's her first night in a new place._

Ringing the doorbell, repeatedly in order to make sure it was heard over the pounding music, he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. He didn't like the idea of Ryley living with Morgan. The way she already asked permission for him to come over worried him. It seemed she was slipping into yet another little sister or niece relationship. She was a grown woman. Freedom was a right at this point, not something to be earned or given.

A smiling Morgan opened the door. "Reid! Come in man! Ry's been bouncing off the walls waiting for you!" He grimaced. "I don't think the coffee I let her make helped any."

Spencer shook his head. Ryley did have a remarkable reaction to caffeine. She never seemed to build up a tolerance for the stuff. "Is she shaking and talking a mile a minute yet?" Morgan shook his head. "Then she's fine. She said she was making brownies. Is she in the kitchen?"

"Yeah. But hold up for a minute man. Let's go up to my office. I want to talk to you about something real quick."

The young genius's heart clenched, afraid that Morgan had decided that Ryley wasn't like family after all, but followed resolutely. _Ryley doesn't feel that way about him_. Reid reminded himself. _She's not the type to go out on a date with someone if she has feelings for another person._

Derek opened the door to his office and gestured for Spencer to head in first. Spencer laughed to realize the shirt he had let Ryley borrow was still sitting in the room, draped over the chair in the corner. Seeing where the youngest member of his team's gaze had gone, the senior agent arched his eyebrow. "Yours?" Spencer nodded. "Dude! What did you two do up here? You weren't gone long!"

Reid rolled his eyes. "Nothing like that Derek. She had borrowed it that morning. She didn't have a clean shirt in her go-bag. When I came up to get her, she had taken it off and was reading and listening to music in that chair. We just left it behind because I threatened not to go back downstairs unless she came with me."

Morgan chuckled. "Figures. So sit down Pretty Boy. We need to talk about Ry." Stiffening slightly, Reid took a seat. "Do you remember what I said about Ryley being like a niece to me?" His worst nightmare coming true, Spencer nodded. "You know that's true, right?"

"What?"

"Look, Ry is awesome. A real sweetheart with this deviousness about her that makes her fun to hang around. But she's still just a niece to me. You don't have to worry about anything… romantic, going on between us while she's here." Derek laughed. "Besides, Little One is so head over heels for you, I doubt it really even registers in her mind that I'm a man. I'm pretty sure she sees me as some asexual friend."

"Derek." Reid began slowly, wanting to hug the man for that little speech. One less thing worry about at any rate. "I wasn't worried about you and Ryley developing a sexual relationship." He paused, picking his next words carefully so that he didn't offend his friend but still got his point across. "I am worried that you'll be too protective, like Kevin was. It worries me that she had to ask permission, like a teenager, before I was able to come over. I assume she's paying part of the bills?" Derek nodded. "Then she shouldn't have to ask. She's a grown woman and, while I admit I much prefer her here than at Penny's where Kevin would no doubt threaten my record every time I come over, she still deserves her freedom."

Derek laughed, a reaction that confused Reid. "Pretty Boy. She was asking because I was worried about being overrun with people day in and day out. I like my privacy, and as much as I love you and the team, I need some time away. She knows that and was trying to be respectful since it's our first day as roommates." He reached over and tousled Spencer's hair. "There's never going to be a time that I'll tell her she can't have someone over. I might ask her to keep it to her room or something, but I won't say no."

Spencer nodded. "And the brownies thing?"

Morgan shrugged. "I wanted brownies. And Ryley offered to cook while she was living here. I was going to ask her anyway, but wanting you to come over was just an excuse to ask it in a teasing way instead of begging her."

Reid shook his head, then cocked his head to the side. "Why did you feel as if you had to come talk to me about this now?"

"Ryley was worried that you'd be upset about her moving in here." Derek said by way of explanation. "And like I said, she's head over heels for you and she's the first girl I've seen you really interested in. I didn't want you two to fight."

Reid gave a self-conscious grin, ducking his head. "I don't fight. Or argue. Often."

"Yeah right. Come on, let's go see Ryley so she can chill out and turn off this damn music."


	33. Chapter 33

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"Little One! I brought you a surprise!"

Ryley barely glanced up from the double boiler. Wade had taught her a very special recipe for brownies that involves melt semi-sweet chocolate, and she was shit at melting chocolate on a good day. "Unless Spence is here and you're going to take over stirring this for me, it can wait."

A very different cough from Morgan's sounded from behind her and Reid's amused voice rang out. "Actually, I am here. Though I can't speak for Morgan's future actions involving rotating a spoon around your current contraption."

"It's a double boiler Spence. I think it's also called a Dutch oven, but I can't be sure." She responded with a smile, giving the genius a quick wink over her shoulder. "And unless he takes over, you're not getting a hug."

Spencer turned wide puppy-dog eyes on the senior profiler who had been listening to their banter with an unabashed grin. "Ugh! Don't look at me like that Reid. Fine!" Morgan moved over to the stove. "Scoot Ry, and give Pretty Boy a hug. And it is not also called a Dutch oven. Even I know that."

"Shove off Derek."

"Bite me Little One."

"Be careful." She bared her teeth playfully even as she passed him the spoon. "I break skin."

Derek laughed and started stirring just as carefully as Ryley had been. "Save it for Reid. He might be into that kinky stuff."

"Actually, while biting is a paraphilia that dates back to Ancient Greece and Rome, it is not one I currently subscribe to. It seems it can too quickly turn into vorarephilia which, while at its lowest levels is relatively harmless, typically progresses into more intense or "harder" forms that can include actually ripping away flesh with your teeth. However, I have found that philosophilia appeals to me as well as…" He stopped and blushed. "That's not important."

Ryley and Derek stared at him in mute shock, neither ever having dreamed of hearing the young genius talk about sex so openly, even if it was in the most clinical terms. Finally, they burst into giggles and Ryley wrapped her arms around Spencer's waist, holding him tightly. A soft feeling of contentment enveloped her as his arms circled her shoulders and she curled into the embrace, closing her eyes as she rested her head against his chest. "We'll talk after I put the brownies in the oven, ok?" She murmured against his chest. "I'll show you my room and we can escape from Derek for a moment."

Spencer chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Ok. But you might want to go save your chocolate from Morgan. He's looking a little scared."

Sure enough, Derek called out a moment later, "Umm, Little One, the chocolate is bubbling, what do I do?"

"Move over." Ryley replied, laughing. Quickly, she smoothed out the melted, gooey mess and removed the top half of the double boiler. Moving to where a bowl of white batter stood waiting, she folded the chocolate into the mixture and poured it in a small square dish that she had greased in preparation for the batter. Both men watched her move in fascination, the gestures smooth and fluid compared to her normally hurried gait. Spencer only thought she became in different person in her punk clothes. The true change came in the kitchen. "Morgan, toss me the walnuts." Snapping out of their rapt attention, the senior agent tossed her the bag of chopped nuts and watched as she swirled some into the batter itself and used the rest to create a crust in the top. She slipped the dish into the oven with a satisfied smile and gathered all the dishes to rinse out in the sink. "There. All done. Spence, if you'll just let me scrub these real quick, I'll show you my room."

Derek nudged her to the side. "I'll take care of these. Just make sure your back down in time to pull the brownies out."

She smiled at him in thanks. "You're awesome." Ryley exclaimed, giving him a one-armed hug. She rushed away and grabbed Spencer's hand, pulling him behind her. "We'll be back down soon!"

"Yeah yeah! Just remember what I said about keeping it down!"


	34. Chapter 34

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"So… This is it." Ryley said, giving a nervous twirl.

Spencer looked around the room, taking in the built-in shelves that were already half-filled with books and the small box on the window seat. A desk sat in the corner, a couple case files that he recognized from JJ's "Hopeless" pile and a laptop already situated there. On the dresser sat pictures of Ryley with Bobby, Kevin, Penelope, the team (that picture had been taken the week after she arrived) and, he was proud to see, a picture of the two of them in the break room at Quantico. He remembered that day. Garcia had bought a new camera and went a little crazy with the picture taking. In it, he and Ryley were leaning next to each other by the coffee pot, Ryley had her head turned, obviously saying something to him while he passed her a little bottle he recognized as the creamer he kept stocked for her. He could see why Garcia had chosen that one, for the neon green frame with bright pink flowers had to be from her. Spencer and Ryley looked relaxed in that photo. There was none of the usual tension in their shoulders, and even though there were bags under their eyes, they seemed alert and alive.

"It's nice Ryley." Reid murmured.

She smiled. "There's more stuff. I need to grab it out of storage, but this is most of it."

"What else do you need to get?"

"Some more books, a few more pictures from back home with all my little cousins, and a set of these big, squishy armchairs that were my great-grandfather's." Ryley ticked the items off on her fingers. "Oh, and this ancient quilt that my great-great grandmother made back in the day. It's been passed down to the oldest female through the years, but I packed it away while I was sleeping on the pull-out. I didn't want to fold it up in the couch every night."

He laughed, moving forward and pulling her against him. He couldn't explain it, but he wanted to feel her in his arms. "Memories and heirlooms are very important to you."

It wasn't a question, but she answered it anyway. "Sometimes they're all you have left." She remarked sadly, settling her hands on his hips. "Those armchairs? I can remember sitting in them with my great-grandfather doing bible studies."

"You're religious?" Spencer was surprised. In all their talks, nothing had ever pointed to her being spiritual.

Ryley laughed. "God no. But I love to learn. To me, the Bible was just another textbook. It told great stories and taught you basic moral values, kind of like Aesop's Fables, but in the end it was just that… a fable."

Reid nodded, resting his cheek across the top of her head. They stayed that way for a moment, silent, just holding each other. Finally, he spoke. "What did you want to talk to me about Ryley?"

Ryley sighed and moved away, sitting on the edge of the bed. She patted the spot next to her, gesturing for him to sit down. "Spence… Are you going upset about me moving in here. I know it was quick, but…"

His laughter cut her off. Grabbing her hand, he twined their fingers together. Loving the way his long, pale digits contrasted against her darker ones. "Derek and I already had this talk." He supplied, the answer to her questioning glance. "I never thought you two would become intimate. After he told me he thought of you as a niece, the worry never crossed my mind." He brushed a stray curl behind her ear. "I just know that he can be even more protective than Kevin. I didn't want you to go from one constricting living situation to another. You're a grown woman. You deserve the freedom to do as you wish." Spencer leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. "I didn't want it to be Derek interrupting us the next time I wanted to kiss you."

Ryley gulped, swallowing back tears and anticipation. "And… um… when is the next time you think you'll want to kiss me."

He slanted his head, pressing his lips to hers. He hadn't enjoyed kissing in the past. It was wet and messy and not at all arousing, but like everything else, it was different with Ryley. The velvety feeling of her lips against his sent and electric jolt to some very personal spaces. Her free hand came up to rest on his shoulder and he scooted closer, pushing their mouths a little closer together. Lightly, the tip of his tongue came out to tease the seam of her lips and a feeling of relief came over him when she parted her lips, allowing him entrance. He wasn't used to being the aggressor. Normally, the women he dated made the first move. Teasingly, he dipped into her mouth, tasting the mixture of brownie batter and something that was purely _Ryley_. It was intoxicating, addicting, and he felt that he could form a stronger need for her than he ever had for Dilaudid.

On her end, Ryley was in heaven. Spencer tasted like coffee and something indescribable. Her heart was beating so fast it felt like a hummingbird was trying to explode from her chest. She felt his free hand cautiously move up to cup her cheek and leaned into the touch. All too soon breathing became a necessity, and they broke apart. She nipped his bottom lip lightly, loving the ways his eyes dilated at the small motion. "Wow." She breathed out, chuckling. "That was…"

"Amazing? Astounding? Remarkable? Wonderful? Incredible? Marvelous? Staggering? Mind-blowing?" Spencer supplied, pressing his forehead against hers once again.

She giggled. "All of the above. Dear lord Spencer, if I had known what I was missing when Uncle Kevin interrupted us, I might have shot him." She pulled back, giving him a teasing glare. "Where'd you learn to kiss like that?"

He laughed pulling her against him and tucking her head under his chin. "Neither of us are virgins. Let's just appreciate what we have learned from past lovers and see what we can learn from each other."

Ryley snuggled into his side. She loved that he was like this with her. Unafraid of affection and physical contact, whereas he shied away from most. "Sounds good to me." She sighed in true regret. "Come on, we better get downstairs. Derek is probably about to freak out wondering where we are."

"Ah. Yes. We wouldn't want him to touch your precious brownies. He might pull them out too early or too late and you'll be forced to strangle him for ruining your perfect baked goods." Spencer teased, allowing her to pull him up from the bed. Pulling her against him, he gave her a chaste peck. "I expect at least ten minutes alone before I leave."

She blushed. "You could always sleep here, you know. It's not like we haven't slept in the same bed before."

His heart fluttered in his chest. He knew she wasn't offering sex. Neither one of them was ready for that. But the possibility of waking up to her in the morning was almost too good to resist. Almost. "Tomorrow. I didn't bring anything that I'd need for in the morning. No clean clothes, no pajamas, no toothbrush. Nothing. Tomorrow, we'll come back here after the club and I'll stay the night."

She brushed her lips across him, the barest touch, like butterfly wings. "Promise?"

"I promise."


	35. Chapter 35

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

"There you are!" Derek exclaimed, looking at their still starry gaze and Ryley's slightly mussed hair with amusement. "I'm not even going to ask. Just check the brownies. They smell delicious and I don't want them to burn!"

Ryley rolled her eyes. "Never going to happen Morgan. These are Wade's famous brownies. I'll die before I mess them up. He'd found out somehow and murder me."

"Wade?"

"A friend of hers who owns a restaurant." Spencer supplied, taking a seat at the island next to Derek while Ryley flipped on the oven light and peered in. "They grew up together and he taught her how to cook."

"You'll meet him tomorrow." She added, flipping off the light. "He's dating my friend Bobby. We're all going to meet at the restaurant and eat there before we head to Renegade."

"Renegade?" Morgan looked thoughtful for a moment. "I've heard of that place. Some local band that's really popular plays there from time to time."

Ryley grinned. "The Nephilims. They're awesome. Heavy on the bass. Deep and thrumming. Less screaming and more gravel."

Spencer shook his head. "I reserve the right to disagree. All of your music is screaming."

"Bite your heathenish tongue Brain-Boy." She replied, laughing. "My music is awesome. You'd know if you listened to the lyrics."

"Who can understand them?" He shot back.

She rolled her eyes. "Anyone with ears."

"Bull." Derek said, getting in on the teasing. "I've listened to your music. It's screaming and clashing and horrible. The only band that I liked was System of a Down."

Ryley's eyes widened. "Let me get this straight, you accuse the music I like of being nothing but screaming and clashing, but then you turn around and say you like System of a Down? Hypocritical much?"

"Bite me."

"I already warned you, I break skin."

"Blood-sucker."

"Wanna-be hood."

"Brat."

"Jerk."

"Have we really regressed to third-grade?" Spencer asked, an amused smile playing about his lips.

"Hush it, you insolent, esoteric, colossal brain-in-body." Ryley shot back, the grin on her face belying the seemingly mean-spirit behind the words.

"Says the woman spouting obscure terminology in an effort to make it appear as if her brain had matured beyond that of a toddler."

"Pointed out by the man who hides behind books and baggage because he's afraid of the mystery that is human interaction?"

"Hey! I interact with the team just fine!"

"Just not the rest of the population."

"This coming from the girl who dresses up in outlandish styles then acts prim and proper in order to jolt societal interpretations of personality based on clothing choices."

"I can't believe that the man who conforms to humanity's skewed perspective on how a person should dress is attempting to lecture me on my choice in blurring the lines of cultural stereotypes."

"I do not conform to this civilization's view of what my mode of dress should be!"

"Sweater vests, Spence?"

Spencer's lips clamped together and he glared at his girlfriend, even though his eyes glittered with amusement at the banter. She gave him a lofty smile that clearly stated "I win." Derek bounced his eyes back and forth between the two, shaking his head. "Note to self. Never engage in verbal sparring with two brainiac profilers."


	36. Chapter 36

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

The day the team was set to go clubbing dawned bright and clear, something Ryley was extremely grateful for. They'd be the three blocks from Wade's to Renegade and the beautiful weather was a relief. Everyone arrived around four to start getting ready, since it would be Ryley and Penny doing everyone's make-up. They were going to meet at the restaurant around seven, and it would take them about thirty minutes to get there, so that left two and a half hours to get everyone ready.

Ryley had decided that she was going to stay out of the guy's way once they found out what she'd dressed them in, and left their clothes bagged and labeled with their names in the living room. All the girls were getting ready in her room, so she knew that as long as she was safely ensconced in there by the time they figured out what she'd decided to make them wear, she'd be ok.

Penelope laughed when Ryley locked the door behind her, knowing the young intern was anticipating a blow-up from their male-counterparts downstairs. Sure enough, not even five minutes later, Hotch, Morgan, and Reid were banging on Ryley's door, threatening mutiny. Prentiss took control of the situation and telling them to suck it up and get dressed. JJ chuckled, leaning in close to Garcia and whispering "She won't be so quick to defend Ryley when she sees that your niece dressed her and Hotch as a couple."

"Shh! It's supposed to be a surprise!" Penny whispered back, giggling. "Besides, Hotch is already throwing a hissy fit. Imagine what he's going to do when he sees he's paired with Emily for the night."

"Either fall to his knees and worship the ground Ryley walks on or curse a blue streak."

"I'm betting on the blue streak."

Ryley stopped the conversation by throwing the girl's outfits too them. "Everyone have their clothes?"

"Where are our accessories?" Penny asked.

"Oh. I left them downstairs. Those are the last to go on. We do our make-up first."

JJ nodded and started getting dressed. She noticed that Ryley had added a pair of black leggings to her outfit and sent the girl a grateful smile. Slowly, they all squeezed into their outfits, helping each other with lacing and hooks where needed. When they were finished, Ryley stepped back to survey her handiwork.

It was perfect. Just as she suspected, the plain black shirt tucked into the belted skirt looked great on JJ, showing off her slim build. With the black leggings and the flats she looked cute, but punk.

Prentiss's outfit made her look just this side of a dominatrix, giving her a commanding presence. Ryley mentally envisioned how Hotch would look and smiled. The two would look great together.

Penny looked her happy and bubbly self, even with the extra black in her wardrobe, and Ryley couldn't wait to see the look on her Uncle Kevin's face. The top she'd chosen for Garcia emphasized the woman's slight waist and ample bosom while smoothing out the bulges that the tech analyst constantly grumped about. She looked gorgeous.

For her part, Ryley had chosen to go with the neon orange in Spencer's clothes, picking black Tripp pants that had an orange skull stitched along the back of her calf. The corset she chose was black with a ribbon lacing up the back that matched the skull and scooped under her breasts, the globes covered with a bunched cloth lined in eyelet lace. The top stopped just short of her the top of her pants, so a thin swatch of skin showed. She and Penny quickly did their hair and make-up, choosing to do matching styles since they both had curly hair. Like the day they had gone shopping, Ryley outlined their eyes in thick kohl and did heavy black mascara. For the lipstick, she chose to do a neon orange and yellow heart, for her and Penny respectively, in the center and black along the rest instead of a simple stripe.

Prentiss opted for the same style, receiving her own purple heart as well as deep purple eyeliner instead of black. Ryley pulled her hair back into a high ponytail and clipped a purple streak of faux-hair into it, blending the strands to make it look natural.

For JJ, they went radically different. Pale pink eye shadow, silver eyeliner, natural looking mascara, and, since she wanted to have something in common with the rest of the girls, they gave her a hot pink heart on her lips, outlined with deep red lip liner and covering the rest with a silver that matched her eyeliner. They actually sprayed on temporary pink to two sections of her hair and braided them, clipping it behind her head to keep up with the cute but punk look JJ had going. The three women who weren't used to the style giggled at their reflections, unable to believe they were going out like this. Ryley simply shook her head and ushered them downstairs.

The men were waiting patiently in the living room. At the sight of their normally staid and stoic co-workers in their outfits, all four women drew in shocked gasps. Even Hotch and Rossi, despite their ages, looked hot! Hotch, Morgan, and Reid all sent Ryley the stink-eye, blaming her and her alone for their current outfits while Rossi looked perfectly at ease in his attire and Kevin and Will even seemed excited about the change from their normal style.

"Ms. Caruso." Aaron began tightly, glaring at her. "Would you care to explain why I'm in _skinny jeans_?"

"And why am I in this flimsy excuse for a shirt when they at least get t-shirts?" Spencer exclaimed, gesturing to Rossi, Kevin, and Will."

"At least you get a shirt Pretty Boy." Morgan growled, crossing his arms over his bare chest. "Why the hell am I topless Little One?"

Ryley took a deep breath and stepped behind Penny. "Hotch, you're in skinny jeans because you put no restrictions on what I could dress you in, and I thought you'd look good in them. I was right. You do. Morgan, you're without a shirt because you've got the body for it and because, again, you gave me no restrictions. Reid, you're in a wife-beater because you were wearing one the morning I woke up at your place and I thought you looked hot." She stared at her boyfriend meaningfully. "I still do, so this is purely for my own enjoyment."

Prentiss stepped beside Ryley, ostensibly to protect the young intern. In reality, she leaned down and hissed in her ear. "Would you care to explain why Hotch is in purple too? I thought only couples got matching colors."

The intern shot the slightly frightening former Interpol officer a weak smile. "I didn't want you to be alone tonight?"

"Know this Ryley Anne Caruso, I reserve the full right to shoot you if something bad comes of this."

"Understood." Ryley squeaked, scooting further behind Penny.

Garcia laughed, clapping her hands together. "Ok! Now that that's out of the way, make-up or face-paint boys?"

"Make-up!" Came the resounding ring throughout the room, every male in the vicinity grimacing even as they said it.

Penelope giggled. "Don't worry. Ry and I talked about. You're all only getting eyeliner and mascara. Except you two my Chocolate Adonis and Italian Marriage machine. You get a lip stain as well."

"Why the hell do I get lipstick?!" Derek and David exclaimed in unison, backing up slightly.

Ryley rolled her eyes, pushing past her fear of the team doing her physical harm. "Because everyone else is getting a claim. You two aren't."

"A mark?" Will asked.

JJ rolled her eyes. "A lipstick print. It's to let other people know that you're not available."

"And who exactly would be claiming me?" Hotch asked, glaring at Ryley again.

She gave him a bright smile. "Who's wearing your colors?"

Hotch scanned the women, his eyes alighting on Emily, and Ryley didn't miss the brief flare of desire in his eyes before his quickly masked it behind a scowl. "I see. Any clue as to why I'm being marked but Rossi and Morgan get to be single?"

"Because I say so." Ryley responded, already pulling out the eyeliner and mascara as well as blood-red lip stain for Rossi and Morgan. "Now everyone stop whining. Boy's, line up for your make-up and Penny, will you please start passing out the jewelry?"

"Yes ma'am." Garcia replied, a happy bounce in her step. As Ryley started drawing the liquid eyeliner across her Uncle Kevin's eyelids, Garcia started handing out everyone's accessories.

JJ got a velvet choker that had a large rose in the front of it that matched the ones on her belt and skirt. Will got a leather wrist band that had red roses and green vines stitched around it. Hotch and Emily both received a set of black plastic bangles. Rossi was given a wide black wristband and Morgan scowled at the white collar and silver skull ring he was given. Kevin laughed at the black and yellow bangles he was given to wear. They matched the strings of black and yellow beads Penny draped around her neck. Then came time for Reid's.

She held her breath as he examined the two leather wristbands and the matching choker. Penny had done an excellent job with them, stitching orange and blue twisted threads along the edges to match his pants and shoe laces. When he finally gave her a soft smile, Ryley exhaled gratefully. She had already put on her own jewelry, an arm bracelet that glowed orange under a black light along with black and orange bangles and a simple, carroty glow-in-the-dark pendant on a slim black string that sat in the hollow of her throat.

The men were done quickly, and Ryley smiled when she saw them. She was proud to say she worked with some damn fine specimens of the male form. They'd cause a stir at Renegade tonight. "All right everyone! Are you ready?" She called, smiling brightly. "Girls, claim your men!"

Penny and JJ both grinned before pressing a hard kiss to Kevin and Will's cheek. Prentiss blushed slightly before marking Hotch, who turned the color of a tomato at the press of her lips. She was startled out of her silent cooing over the soon to be couple by a soft touch on her hip.

"Do I get a mark?" Spencer whispered in her ear, causing her to blush and shudder lightly.

"Absolutely." She replied. Turning to him and pressing her lips to his cheek. She swelled with pride when she saw the neon heart surrounded by black on his cheek. Softly, she slipped into his arms and hugged him to her, gratified when his arms came around her without hesitation. There was something primal and satisfying about declaring him as hers.

"Oi! Lovebirds! Let's go!" Rossi called with a smile.

Ryley laughed. "Coming Dave!" She gave a mischievous grin to the men on the team, with the exception of Reid. "Ready to meet Wade?"


	37. Chapter 37

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

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_**twilighter169: Thank you for reading doll! I really appreciate it!**_

* * *

"Ry-Wa! There's my best friend! Where have you been! I haven't heard from you in two days!"

Spencer stepped back, surveying the little slip of a man who was currently trying to hug Ryley to death. Short, 5'7" at the most. Slender, even skinnier than him, which was slightly frightening since most people already thought he was anorexic. Dyed black hair, natural blue eyes. He was dressed in Army boots, black skinny jeans, and a vintage Metallica t-shirt.

He'd met Bobby in passing, usually when he was passing off Ryley on a Friday night. At first the effeminate man had made him uncomfortable but Ryley's statement that he "grew on you" was true. Still, he'd never been comfortable with how affectionate they were. It was only Ryley's bright smile and cheerful chatter that made him bite his tongue even as he "Bo-Ra" continued to cling to her.

JJ's comforting hand on his shoulder was the only thing that stopped him from growling possessively when the infinitely taller and more masculine Wade come forward and spun Ryley around before hugging her to him. He knew Wade's sexual orientation as well, just as he knew that Wade was even closer to Ryley than Bobby, even if the two weren't as vocal about it as Bobby and Ryley were about their friendship. Spencer postulated that it was because of the longevity of Ryley and Wade's friendship that made them more comfortable with the relationship and reduces the urge to shout it from the rooftops.

"Way-La! I missed you!" Ryle laughed, laying her head on the big man's chest.

Wade laughed, low and deep. "It's been less than a week Ry-Wa"

"Too long!" She cried, bouncing back to Spencer's side and twining their fingers together. "I need to get the recipe for my drink. I've been desperate without it."

Wade laughed and pulled Bobby in front of him, wrapping his arms around the smaller man's waist and making Spencer breathe out a sigh of relief. "I'm never giving you that recipe. I'd never see you if you could make it for yourself." For the first time, both Wade and Bobby turned their attention to the rest of the group. "Now introduce us to the ones we haven't met."

Ryley laughed but obliged. "Wade, you already know Penny, JJ, and Emily, and since you seem to need a reintroduction, this is Spencer." She pointed to each person as she said their name. "Bobby, you only know Spence, Penny and Kevin, so pay attention."

She moved away standing slightly in-between the team and the two men. "Boys, this is Aaron, Emily, JJ, Will, Dave, Derek, Penny, Uncle Kevin, and Spencer. Guys, this is Bobby and Wade, my two best friends in the world and our escorts into the underworld of Punk Rock tonight."

Wade laughed and moved away from his boyfriend, shaking each of the men's hands and pulling the girls into a hug. "I think you'll be our guide Ry-Wa. I barely leave the restaurant anymore."

Aaron shook Bobby's hand, shaking his head all the while. He looked distinctly uncomfortable in the dark restaurant. Looking at Wade, he sized the man up. "Ryley tells us you own this place?"

Wade nodded proudly, gesturing for them to start walking to their table. "This is my baby. Ryley fronted me most of the money, but everything from the decor to the staff and most of the menu is my brain-child. I've been planning for this since Ryley and I were four."

Dave perked up, eager to learn more about the quiet intern. "Four?"

The restaurateur laughed, nodding his head as he pulled out a chair for Bobby. "Yeah. We used to sit around in her attic, drawing up floor plans and fake menus. It was our game." He proudly took in the black walls with glow-in-the-dark designs and the black lights that illuminated the room. "Never would have thought we'd make it a reality."

Ryley smiled sweetly at her friend, laying her head on Spencer's shoulder. "Wade trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. As soon as he graduated, he opened this place. He's done a great job with it."

"Well, you helped Ry. With funding and advertising." Wade looked meaningfully at the team. "Obviously, it's set up to cater to a certain crowd. Ryley recruited Bobby, and took flyers to a lot of the clubs around town, making deals with the owners about discounts if someone brought in a receipt from here and helping me and hiring some of the part-time staff to spread the word and even lead people here. She helped me get most of my regulars, which is pretty much what this business runs on."

The intern shrugged. "Like I said, most people either stumble in here or are brought here, but they stay because of your food Way-La. It's the best in the city." She smiled. "Speaking of which, if we want to get to the club on time, we need to eat."

Wade laughed, getting up from the table. "I'll get Margie to bring you menus. What does everyone want to drink?"

All the girls, and Bobby, ordered Ryley's special drink. Curious, so did Aaron, Derek, and Dave. Spencer grimaced, already knowing what was in the drink, and ordered a vanilla latte. Wade just laughed and went to make the drinks.

"Does he always do the cooking, even when he has friends here?" Derek asked.

Bobby and Ryley both nodded, rolling their eyes. "This is his baby, like he said. He trusts no one in his kitchen."

"Well he's not doing it tonight!" Bobby declared, adding onto Ryley's statement. "Larry is just as capable of cooking our food and he's going to sit and be social with us."

The team laughed and it settled into a comfortable chatter around the table. More laughter ensued when Wade came back to the table with drinks and Bobby pleasantly bullied him into giving up control of the kitchen, just for tonight, and eat with them. Before long, Margie was there with menus and ready to take their order.

Aaron ordered the chicken and dumplings, claiming that he hadn't had any since he was a child. Spencer, Ryley, Penny, Kevin, Bobby, and Wade all opted to share the "Special Super Supreme Pizza", Ryley's favorite, with pineapples to it for Kevin. Derek got in on the pizza as well, and Dave and Emily both ordered the tortellini Alfredo, listening to Ryley's claims that it was better than authentic Italian. JJ, ever practical, ordered a Cobb salad, thought Wade did convince her to try his original lime and cilantro vinaigrette.

When the food came, everyone let out a groan that bordered on the obscene before tucking in like animals. Ryley wanted to giggle as Aaron and Dave praised Wade as a god, claiming that his dishes were better than their mother's. Finally, they settled back, pleasantly full as they sipped at their drinks, relaxing for a few moments before they started the walk to the club.

"That's was delicious Wade!" Penny gushed, happily frozen hot chocolate through a straw. "I've got to come back here more!"

"So do you have to dress like this to come in?" Dave asked, gesturing to the outfit Ryley had put him in. "Or can I dress normally."

Wade laughed, pulling Bobby against him, the two cuddling together, obviously in their honeymoon phase. "No dress code here, though you might get a few weird looks if you come in a suit. We're pretty informal."

Derek laughed, taking in a pretty waitress at a nearby table. "Obviously man. This place is pretty cool though."

Bobby arched an eyebrow at Morgan before looking up at his boyfriend. "I think that's the hunk's version of a compliment."

Emily and Penny snorted into their drinks at the red flush that crept up from Derek's chest and covered all of his neck and face. JJ chuckled, patting Derek's arm encouragingly. "I think you embarrassed him Bobby."

Will shook his head. "I'd be embarrassed to."

"Aww… Does someone need an ego boost?" Ryley spouted off, batting her eyes. "You look very nice tonight Will."

"Handsome." Penny chirped, playing along.

"Mouth-watering." Wade added with a lascivious wink.

"Drop-dead sexy." JJ concurred, laughing at the blush heating up her boyfriend's face. Soon the entire table was calling out increasingly lewd compliments, doubling over as Will flushed a deeper and darker red with each one. Finally, he called enough.

"I get it! I get it!" He yelled, holding up his hands. "I'm a tall drink of water. Can we stop now?"

Spencer shook his head at the team's antics, happy that they were being so accepting of the new situation. He'd been scared to death the first time Ryley brought him here, and she hadn't even made him dress up. "How about we just go? It's past eight thirty. We should get to the bar."

"Pretty Boy wanting to go party!" Derek exclaimed, dramatically clutching at his chest. "Be still my heart! It's a miracle!"

Ryley smirked and threw a napkin at the theatrical agent. "Oh hush Derek. There's nothing wrong with preferring small gatherings to overcrowded clubs."

Morgan nodded, still smiling as he tossed the napkin back at her. "Not a thing in the world Little One. I just never thought I'd see the day that Boy Wonder would willingly agree to go to a club."

Spencer shrugged, standing from the table and helping Ryley to her feet. Covertly, he snuck two, hundred-dollar bills under his plate. Wade never charged Ryley or anyone she brought in, but he knew that this was a large group that had eaten a lot of food, and restaurants were hard enough to keep afloat.

Ryley caught the action and leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek. Turning to the team, she gestured for them to move. "Come on! To Renegade we go!"


	38. Chapter 38

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

The club was crowded and noisy. Shrinking back from the mass of bodies, Spencer stepped slightly behind Ryley, grateful to feel Morgan's commanding presence at his back. Neither his friend nor his girlfriend missed the action and set up a plan of attack.

"Bobby." Ryley hissed, drawing her friend close so that he could hear her. "You're tiny. Slip through and find us a table. Everyone else!" She turned, shouting to be heard above the din. "Link up so we don't lose anyone! Arms, no hands! They're harder to separate! If you do get lost, go to the bar, ask for Randy, and he'll get you to us! Girls, be careful! He can be a bit handsy!"

The team nodded and did as instructed, everyone but Derek and Emily completely out of their element. Aaron, Dave, JJ and Will preferred local pubs, Penny and Kevin preferred cyber cafes, and Spencer just didn't like going out at all. Forming a formidable chain with Derek in the front to act as a sort of battering ram, they made their way through the crowd, everyone sighing in relief as they made it near the stage and saw Bobby staking out a row of booths near the stage.

"You're amazing!" Wade murmured to his boyfriend, whisking the slighter man into the crowd. "Ry! Get us a Boiler Maker and a Pomegranate Martini when the waitress comes around!"

Ryley nodded, letting Spencer slide into the booth first so he's feel more secure in the corner and curling next to him. Shaking his head, Derek plopped onto the seat in a space between two tables. "The Martini thing for the tiny one?"

"His name is Bobby!" Ryley admonished. "And no! It's for Wade actually! He has a weakness for the things!"

"What about you Little One? What's your alcoholic weakness?"

"Sex on an Alligator!" She replied, smiling at his shocked look. "I'll get you one! They're delicious!"

"You shouldn't be drinking Ryley!" Kevin said, shocked and receiving a sharp smack to his forearm from Penny.

"She's a legal adult! To a child! Leave her alone Kev!" The tech analyst yelled, scowling at her boyfriend. She turned to Ryley. "Get me one too. Its sound's cool! What's in it?"

"Melon and Almond liqueur, Jager, and pineapple juice. It's delicious!"

Spencer shook his head. "How do you know about so many strange drinks?"

She giggled, kiss under his jaw. "I read a lot of cookbooks growing up. Made a list of everything I wanted to try and have been steadily making my way through it ever since I turned 21. So far, Sex on an Alligator is my favorite!"

"What do you have left Ryley?" Dave asked, cocking his head to the side."

"Just one actually." The intern grinned. "It's a warm drink called Southern Hospitality. Peach Southern Comfort, apple cider, vanilla extract and two cinnamon sticks. It's all heated together and served with whipped cream on top! Mom says I actually get to have one when I go home for Christmas, so I'm saving it."

Aaron shook his head. "You're heading home for Christmas?"

"For a couple days. My cousin just had a baby and I've got to go pay my respects to the newest member of the tribe."

"Tribe?"

"We have a huge family." Kevin put in, rolling his eyes. "And besides Ryley and I here, they all stuck to the same area. No one lives more than five miles apart."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing Uncle Kev." Ryley said with a smile, well aware of the animosity between Kevin and the rest of the family. She just didn't get involved. "Can we just not get into this tonight? We're supposed to be having a good time and showing the profilers a new side of life." She leaned forward, staring at the team. "So what have y'all deciphered so far?"

Aaron smiled, looking around. "There's nothing to decipher. So far, you're just a normal group of young adults with a different look and taste in music than most of society."

Emily nudged him playfully. "Is that really all you see Hotch? Tsk, tsk. How are you the team leader?" She studied a nearby group. "Your right about the style and music, but there more to it. Most of these kids are more serious. Look at them." She nodded to the band of people she was watching. "They're more serious. Things actually matter to them. If you look at the girl's bag, it's covered in environmental stickers and they're not just for show. Most of those you only receive after participating in some function or another. Their clothes are all made of 100% cotton, most likely U.S. grown and made. They're kind of like the hippies of this subculture, right?"

Ryley nodded, smiling at Emily. Dave spoke up next. "Those over there are the followers. They're not really into the culture; it's just the latest hip rebellion." He nodded to a group dirty dancing near the stage. "They look the part, but they don't feel it. The boy, his clothes. They're right, but they're slightly off. It's all popular symbols and bands. Nothing out there or different. It's the same with the rest of them."

"Those in the middle of the dance floor are the originals." Derek put in. "They're older than most here, and the way they dance is different." He pointed to two guys who liked like they were fighting to the music. "It's called Krunk. I remember when it first started. It was right about the time the Goth movement hit the spotlight."

Spencer picked out a group curled on the edge of the stage, talking and laughing. "Those are the music lovers. They don't care about the style. They just like beat. They purposely picked that spot because it's near the speakers."

"And that's the biggest group, or the most well-known." JJ said, waving at the large group of morose looking individuals near the bar. "Depressed, emotional, angry, truly rebellious. They personify society's representation of what this music and style is all about."

"So… in short?" Ryley said with a smirk, leaning back against the booth.

Derek sighed, ruffling her hair. "In short, there is no one set type of people in any culture. You guys are just as many and varied as any other group."

"Good profile!" She replied with a laugh. Just then, the waitress came up to them. She looked irritated and bored, all at the same time. Ryley arched an eyebrow at the woman as she took their orders, taking extra time to flirt with Spencer.

None too subtly, Ryley reached up and drew Spencer down to her for a kiss, ensuring that the waitress was watching. The team broke into laughter after the woman huffed away, and Spencer was blushing like mad. Shaking his head, he laid his forehead against hers, smiling slightly. "Possessive Ryley?"

She had the grace to look a little guilty. "Maybe a bit."

Spencer laughed and pulled her to his side, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "You know that traditionally a possessive mate indicates that said mate believes other potential partners have a possible future with their boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/ etc. and is and indicator of low self-worth."

Ryley cocked her head to the side, looking up at him curiously. "Really?"

Spencer nodded, pulling his arm from around her as he got into his topic. "Yes. You see, the possessive quality manifests for one of two reasons, sometimes both. The first is a lack of trust between the partners. If one person believes that the other is still searching for a suitable mate, even though they are in a relationship, they tend to be more prone to jealousy. Also, a person is more domineering if they feel that they are less than suitable for their partner. They're not good enough, if you will, and fear that their mate will soon realize that and move on to better prospects. It's common in new relationships but usually fades as the bond grows and matures. Such actions in a long-term association is indicative of an unhealthy relationship in which one or both partners are unaware of the other's emotional needs."

She paused for a moment. "'Cool' seems like an inappropriate response to that."

Derek nudged her playfully. "So do you have low self-worth Ry?"

Ryley shrugged, pulling Spencer's arms back around her. "No more than most women. We're all a bit insecure."

"I know that's right!" Emily said with a smile. She stood from the table, pulling Hotch with her. "Come on. Since you're my partner for the night, let's go dance."

Aaron shot Ryley a murderous look, but followed Prentiss onto the floor. Ryley snickered, burying her face in Spencer's side. Soon, the waitress was back with their drinks, pointedly ignoring Ryley and Spencer, even going so far as to set their drinks on a different table. Derek passed them over to the couple with an irritated scowl in the waitress's direction. The woman didn't seem to notice, even going so far as to ask Derek to dance with her when she had her break. Morgan looked the woman up and down coldly. "Sorry doll. I prefer real women. Not little girls who pout when they don't get their way."

The server's face contorted into an ugly mask before she flounced away, causing the whole team to break into laughter once again. They settled into a comfortable chatter after that. Soon Wade, Bobby, Aaron, and Emily made their way back to the table, flushed and panting. "Dear God." Aaron exclaimed, collapsing into his chair. "They need to incorporate that 'Krunk' dancing into the FBI's training. It's more strenuous than hand-to-hand."

"That's because you have to incorporate a mixture of boxing, MMA, and breakdancing into you moves all while keeping up to the rhythm." Ryley replied with a laugh, taking a sip from her drink. "It looks cool and gives you a good work out, but it wouldn't be much good in the field."

"True that." Derek said with a laugh. "I say we all have a shot and head out to the floor. There are some pretty ladies here tonight."

Ryley rolled her eyes but flagged down a new server, a guy this time and one that both she and Bobby were familiar with. "What do we want guys?"

"You choose!" Will said, eyes gleaming mischievously. "You're the one who knows all the weird drinks."

Ryley rolled her eyes but thought for a moment. Smiling, she waved the waiter down and whispered in his ear. The man grinned and nodded before heading through the mass back to the bar. Dave looked at Ryley suspiciously. "What did you order us child?"

She smiled innocently. "Nothing bad Rossi. I promise."

Derek scowled, staring at his roommate. "Uh-huh. Sure. Why do I not believe you?"

"Because you're an oppressive, over-bearing control freak who has no idea how to trust others with buying groceries, much less ordering you a drink or," Ryley let out a mock gasp," god forbid, watching you six."

"Says the mystery riddled intern who won't even tell the oh-so-generous control-freak what's in the wooden box in her room."

"We're all entitled to our secrets." Ryley replied flippantly. "That doesn't discount trust any more than you not telling us about your properties or Penny keeping her acting a secret did."

Derek laughed, ruffling her hair. "You realize, we found out about that. We'll find out about the box too."

"How long did it take you to figure out about Penny's acting, exactly?"

Morgan flushed and scowled. "Not the point."

Ryley chuckled. "Oh, it is most definitely the point. By the time you figure it out, I could already be through academy and on a different team and you'll all have forgotten all about me."

Aaron laughed. "Trust me Ryley. You're not going anywhere. You'll be lucky if I'm not requesting weekly updates from your academy professors."

"You wouldn't."

"Ask Reid."

Ryley glanced at her boyfriend who nodded, confirming that Hotch had actually done such a thing to him. Groaning, she thunked her head on the table. "You're evil Hotch."

"Nope. I just have a vested interest in m future team members."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Save it. Oh look! The shots are here!"

Sure enough, the waiter was making his way back to their table, tray held high above his head. The man grinned at Ryley. "Randy says to tell you that Mr. Mercer called. You and your friends are on the house for the rest of the night."

Everyone turned their eyes to Ryley who shrugged and thanked the man as he passed out the drinks. After he left, she sighed and made her explanations to the team. "Tristan, Mr. Mercer, owns the place. His daughter was in my English Lit class. I helped her pass and on the rare occasion he realizes I'm here, comps the bill."

Wade grinned. "To Ryley, and her irritating need of helping everyone who asks. It gains her the right friends and saves us all from worrying about how much these mystery shots cost us."

Bobby snorted, raising his glass up next to his boyfriend's. "Like we would ever find out. You know as well as I do that Randy has a credit card number on file for her. He's had a tab started for her since she walked in a probably would have covered the whole thing, none of us being any the wiser."

"We would have figured it out when it came time to pay." Wade reasoned.

Bobby shook his head. "Nope. She's got a plan for that. She'd say some small number, 5 or 10 bucks, and have us leave it on the table as a tip. Been there, done that with her."

Derek turned wide eyes to Ryley. "Really?"

She shrugged. "The servers only make $2.13 an hour. They live off their tips."

"I meant the part about lying to us about how much this night out costs."

"Oh that. Yeah, pretty much."

Derek opened his mouth to protest but a look from Spencer cut him off. Sighing, he raised his shot glass. "To Ry."

The team concurred the statement, ignoring their intern's protests, and tossed back the shot. Ryley couldn't help but giggle as they all, even Rossi, coughed and sputtered. "Jesus Christ Ryley!" Penny cried, shaking her head. "What the hell was that?"

Will smacked his lips, the only one unaffected by the drink. "It's minty."

Ryley smiled. "It's called a Dead Green Frog. It's peppermint liqueur, crème de menthe, Kahlua, Irish cream, and vodka."

Derek groaned and sunk his head onto the table nearest him. Glaring, he glanced at Will. "We are never, ever, ever letting that child pick the drinks again."

The Louisiana man shrugged placing an arm around JJ. "I don't know. It wasn't half bad. I'd be willing to give it another go."

"How are you not hacking and gagging like the rest of us?" Spencer asked.

"I'm from Louisiana, Spence." Will replied with a grin. "We've got moonshine. After you get drunk on that stuff, nothing bothers you anymore."

Ryley laughed, pushing Derek out of the booth and dragging Spencer behind her. "Come on Spence!" She said excitedly. "Let's go dance!"

Spencer blushed and stopped her. "I can't dance Ryley."

"Neither can I." She grinned and sidled closer, wrapping her arms around his waist. Standing on tip-toe, she whispered in his ear, "It's just an excuse to press our bodies far too close together and wiggle around. Doesn't that sound nice?"

The team hadn't heard what she said. They only knew that Spencer suddenly turned bright red, but nodded and followed their youngest member into the crowd. They broke into laughter. Nudging Emily, Derek nodded after them. "What do you want to bet we really don't want to know what she told him."

"More than I've got in the bank." Emily replied with a grin, grabbing Hotch and dragging him after her. "Come on old man! Let's get you back out there."

JJ laughed and grabbed Will, intent on figuring out how to move to this kind of music, while Kevin gave Penny a questioning glance and, with a nod for Garcia, they found a quiet spot to sway. Wade and Bobby were already back out there, chatting and laughing with some people near the stage, leaving only Derek and Dave at the table. Derek looked at Dave. "So should we go find a couple girls to show us the ropes?"

Rossi shook his head, taking a sip of his bourbon. "I'd feel like a cradle robber out there. I'll hold down the table. Watch the girl's purses. Go have fun."

"You sure man?"

"Yeah Morgan. Go."

"Alright. I'd say holler if you run into trouble, but in this crowd…" Derek looked around pointedly.

Rossi laughed, gesturing for Derek to go. "I'll be fine. Go fine some cute little girl. I'm going to sip my drink and watch the crowd."

Derek nodded and headed off, his eye already on one of the eco-girls along the back wall. But first he made a detour to where he saw a tall, awkward looking man and a short curvy girl talking quietly. Quickly, he told them about Dave, knowing Ryley wouldn't let the man stay alone in this crowd for long. Sure enough, Ryley was already headed back to the table, Spencer's arms firmly fastened around her waist, by the time Derek made his way to the eco-girl.

Ryley plopped down across from Rossi, smiling brightly. She and Spencer leaned together comfortably. "All alone Dave?"

"You all abandoned me for the dance floor." Rossi joked. "What are you two doing back any way?"

"You want the truth or do you want something to make you feel better?"

Dave stopped and thought for a moment. "The truth."

"Derek told us you were here alone. So we abandoned the dance floor in favor of you!"

"Throwing my words back at me. Not nice young Jedi." Dave said, doing a mock-Yoda voice.

Spencer groaned and buried his face in Ryley's hair. "Dear god, your Star Wars impressions are worse than hers, Rossi."

"Oh hush Spence. It wasn't that bad." Ryley admonished, pushing him gently.

Rossi watched the two with a smile. "You two are almost sickeningly sweet, you know that right?"

She grinned, reclining into Spencer's embrace. The amount of touching the two did absolutely floored Dave. Spencer barely shook hands. He grimaced when Derek slung an arm around his shoulder or ruffled his hair. And if Garcia attacked him with a hug he stood stiff and silent like a board. But with Ryley, he not only relaxed into her touches, but initiated some himself. It was like they thought they were living in a dream world and if they didn't hold onto each other, it would all evaporate. "We try."


	39. Chapter 39

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Dave, Spencer, and Ryley settled into a comfortable chatter, Spencer controlling most of the conversation by switching from topic to topic as quickly as the next breath. It was all Dave could do to keep up, though often Ryley would send the older agent a small smile as Spencer hopped from one subject to another, quiet signaling when just to listen and when to speak up. He found it much easier to communicate with the genius with Ryley there to guide him. Silently, Dave smirked. She was like his handler, guiding everyone around him through the treacherous paths that snaked through Reid's mind and allowing the rest of world to understand to young man.

After a bit, everyone made their way back to the table, and after Kevin and Will designated themselves as the drivers (they'd only had a beer and a shot each, most of which had been worked off during their time on the dance floor and several glasses of water), Morgan and Emily talked the rest into a round of shots. Morgan, feeling happier now that he'd danced and gotten the eco-girl's phone number even consented to letting Ryley pick the drinks. Smiling slyly, the young intern waved over their new server and whispered in his ear once again. This time, the waiter actually tossed back his head and laughed before heading off to get the drinks.

"What did you order us this time Ry?" Morgan asked apprehensively.

She grinned. "I'll tell you after we take them. Suffice to say, it's a good thing we're off tomorrow."

"Them?" Hotch and JJ asked in unison, looking worried.

"Four different drinks. They're not bad. Just different."

"Four?" Hotch repeated.

Emily smacked his arm. "Lighten up Hotch. Jack is with Jessica and will be until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. You said so yourself. And as for Henry, Will is one of the DD's. He'll just have to make sure Jayje is safely in bed before he relieves the sitter."

Aaron pouted for a moment before nodding slightly. Sighing, he looked at Dave. "This isn't going to end well, is it?"

"Nope." Rossi replied with a laugh. "But it'll be a fun trip down."


	40. Chapter 40

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friend's don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Soon, two servers came back with trays of drinks and set them out for everyone. Aaron and Derek looked at the glasses with apprehension while JJ actually picked on up, turning it in the light. Ryley grinned at them, picking up the first shot. "Bottoms up darlings!"

Laughing, Spencer picked up the matching shot and threw it back, the rest of the group following quickly. As before, everyone coughed and sputtered, the girl's chasing it with large gulps from the water glasses Ryley had called for with the shots. Derek glowered at her. "Ok, we drank it, what the hell was that?!"

"It's called a Scooby snack. Coconut rum, crème de bananes, pineapple juice, melon liqueur, and whipped cream."

Aaron shook his head. "Ok. What's next?"

Will picked up a reddish looking shooter. Seeming to recognize it, he passed it to his wife. "This one."

Sighing, everyone who was drinking grabbed their glasses and tossed it back. Unseen, Ryley tilted her shot into an empty glass. She was feeling nice and buzzed and didn't need to be rip-roaring drunk tonight. Sure, Kevin or Will would be taking her, Spence and Derek home, but once they got there, the boys would need someone to take care of them.

"SO what was that one?" Emily asked Ryley with a wince.

The intern grinned and nodded toward Will. I'll let him explain. He seems to know what it was."

"A Flatliner." Will said, laughing as his wife continued to grimace. "Sambuca, tequila, and tabasco sauce. Had a guy on the force buy everyone a round once."

Hotch shook his head, trying to shake away the aftertaste. "That was vile. What are you giving us next?"

Penny picked up a purplish drink. "Oh! Let's do this one!"

Ryley snickered. She couldn't wait to tell them about that one. "Sounds good to me."

Everyone picked up their glasses and tossed them back. Derek smacked his lips. "Hey! That one actually wasn't that bad. What was it?"

"Red-Headed Slut. Cranberry juice, Jager, and peach schnapps." Ryley said, nervously twitching when Spencer looked curiously at the glass in front of her. He could have sworn it was empty earlier.

Penny laughed. "No wonder I liked it! Red-Headed anything are good!"

"Except step-children." Dave put in with a laugh.

Ryley rolled her eyes and threw a napkin at the profiler. "You're so weird Dave."

"I could make a really rude comment about a certain intern who actually enjoys lectures and museums, but I'm feeling too good right now." Rossi replied with a laugh. "Now, what's this last one? And don't tell me you want to wait until I drink it. Just tell me now."

She laughed but nodded. "It's called All Jacked-Up. Jack, gin, melon liqueur and pineapple juice."

"Why do I suddenly feel like this belongs in a Gretchen Wilson video?" Derek asked, eyeing the drink.

"Why do most of the drinks you suggest involve pineapple juice and melon liqueur?" JJ asked, laughing.

Ryley shrugged. "I like the flavors. Come on guys. Bottoms up! Then we can just chill out here. The band is starting soon and I have to prove to Spence and Derek that not all my music is screaming and clanging."

"What band is playing?" Emily asked before tossing back her drink.

Ryley watched to make sure no one was paying attention before tossing her shot in the glass with the other two. Will, however, caught the action. She breathed out a sigh of relief when the southern boy just shook his head and smiled. He wasn't going to rat her out. "The Nephilims. They're local, but really popular."

"The band you were telling us about last night?" Spencer asked, words slightly slurred.

Ryley giggled and nodded. "Yeah. They're great. You guys are going to love them."

"I know who they are!" Emily called excitedly. "A friend of mine was scouting them out a few weeks `ago! She played me a CD. They're great. Punk, but low and with this almost bluesy twist."

The intern nodded triumphantly, turning to Derek. "See, I told you it wasn't all screaming."

Derek laughed, pulling Ryley into a side hug. "I'd be more inclined to believe you if it was coming from someone who didn't dance like one of the Twisted Sister band members when she was in high school."

Emily narrowed her eyes and leaned forward. "Need I remind you that you're shirtless, in white Tripp pants and platform boots, Morgan?"

The group broke into laughter at Morgan's expense. "She got you Der-Bear!" Penny gasped out, lapsing into giggles against Kevin's side. "She got you good."

Derek rolled his eyes but had the grace to laugh at himself. "We all look like freaks tonight. That shouldn't count."

"We do not look like freaks!" JJ yelled. Ryley was a little less than shocked to realize the press liaison was just beyond tipsy. "We look hot!"

Emily burst into giggles and hugged JJ. "I never thought I'd hear you say those words, prom queen."

"It was homecoming queen, Goth girl." JJ said playfully, returning the hug. Just then the band began setting up on stage and everyone settled in to listen. Into the second song, Derek leaned over and whispered that he was wrong. Ryley was assaulted by the smell of alcohol and briefly considered that getting the team drunk probably wasn't her greatest decision.

When Emily made a break for the bathroom, JJ on her heels, ostensibly to hold the profiler's hair, they decided it was time to go and began the weary stumble down the street to the restaurant as soon as the girls returned. Wade and Bobby would be staying there, while Will and JJ drove Aaron, Emily, and Dave home and Penny and Kevin would take Spencer, Derek, and Ryley back to Derek's before making the journey to Kevin's for the night. Ryley had already asked Kevin to make sure and stop at a convenience store so she could pick up the things for their family's patented hangover cure.

The group said their goodbyes at the cars, Emily taking a break to hurl one last time, before they headed off and everyone clambered in their cars. Ryley curled next to Spencer, smiling into his chest. "Did you have fun tonight?"

Spencer softly smiled down at her. "Yeah Ryley. And it's only going to get better."


	41. Chapter 41

_**Disclaimer: I don't own, Mr. Davis and friends don't sue... Deal?**_

* * *

Ryley laughed as she and Kevin lugged a stumbling Spencer and Derek into the house. "Just sit them on the couch Uncle Kev. I want to try to get some bread and aspirin in them before they pass out."

"Why aren't you stumbling around like them?" Kevin asked, heaving a semi-conscious Derek onto the couch.

She gently lowered Spencer down next to his senior agent and pushed Kevin toward the front door. "I dumped those last four shots. I knew this would happen and that they'd need someone to take care of them."

Kevin laughed and pulled her into a hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Ever the mother my little Ryley Anne."

She smiled sadly and hugged her uncle tightly. "Motherhood doesn't stop at a child death. It's a feeling that never goes away."

"You were a mother long before then." He joked, tipping her face back. "Tell you what, how about we go out to lunch tomorrow, just the two of us?" He dropped his hand and smiled sheepishly. "I know I've been acting a bit like an ass since you started hanging around me and Penny more. I want to make it up to you. Plus, we haven't had an uncle-niece day in years. Maybe it'll… I don't know, help."

Ryley grinned. "You'll always be my favorite uncle, Kev. No matter how much of an ass you're being." She laughed and opened the door. "But lunch sounds good. I'll meet you at Ruby's at one?"

He laughed, ruffling her hair. "Sounds great kiddo. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya tomorrow. Go take care of Penny. She needs you." She closed the door behind him and rested her head against the frame, laughing slightly. Sighing, she pushed away from the doorway and made her way into the kitchen, pulling down the stuff to make a couple peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches for the boys.

"Little One! What are you doing in there?" Derek called from the living room, words slurred.

Ryley shook her head and giggled, pressing the last sandwich together and plating them along with two glasses of water and two Tylenol each. "Just making you some food!"

She silently thanked her years of working as a waitress through high school and carried the drinks and plate into the living room. "Here you go lovelies." She murmured, passing each man a sandwich. "Now eat those and drink your water and I'll give you Tylenol and get you to bed."

"I get to sleep with you, right Ryley?" Spencer asked, sleepily taking a bite of his sandwich.

Ryley grinned and ran a hand down the side of his face. "Yeah Spence, you get to sleep with me."

"What about me?" Derek protested. "I don't want to sleep alone either!"

Spencer grinned and sloppily patted Derek on the arm. "It's ok Derek! You can sleep with us too! Then you won't be alone."

She looked worriedly between the two men who were smiling happily as they munched on their sandwiches, the sleeping alone issue clearly resolved in their minds. Great, she had two goofy drunks on her hands. "Umm… excuse me? Don't I get a say in this?"

Derek looked at her, confused. "What's the problem, little one? We've slept in the same bed before. And you slept in Spencer's bed less than a week ago. And Spencer and I have shared a bed when we're out on a case. There shouldn't be a problem."

Ryley debated the merit of arguing with a drunken Derek that the three of them sleeping in the same bed separately was much different then the three of them all crowding together on one bed, but decided it wouldn't get her anywhere. Besides, in Spencer's condition, even making out wouldn't be a good idea tonight. Sighing, she shook her head. "Nothing Derek. You'll figure it out in the morning."

Morgan nodded happily, going back to his sandwich. She laughed and sat on the floor, facing the two men. When she noticed each one finish the peanut butter and jelly, she handed them the Tylenol and tilted their heads back so that they could swallow the pills. "Ok boys," she murmured gently, seeing that they were both nearing sleep, "who wants to go up first?"

"I'll go!" Derek said, stumbling to his feet. Ryley nodded and made sure Spencer was settled comfortably on the couch before dragging Morgan's arm over her shoulder and maneuvering him up the stairs to his room. "Why are we in here?"

"Your bed is bigger than mine." She explained patiently, forcing him onto the bed and pulling off his shoes. Derek struggled out of his Tripp pants while Ryley dug through his drawers for a pair of pajama pants, throwing them to him when she found them. "Here. Put these on while I go get Spence. Go ahead and lay down once you're dressed."

She waited until she got a sleepy nod from Derek before heading out of the room and back down the stairs. Spencer was passed out on the couch and Ryley almost didn't have the heart to wake him up. Almost. "Spence? Spencer? Baby? I need you to wake up. Just long enough to help me get you up the stairs. Then you can go right back to sleep, I promise."

Spencer mumbled sleepily and stumbled to his feet. Performing the same process she had with Derek, this time with a quick pit stop in her room to grab Spencer's go bag, she made sure both men were safely tucked in bed before going to remove her make-up and change into pajamas. Briefly, she considered passing out alone in her bed and letting the two boys sleep together, but then imagined the inevitable fallout in the morning and decided against it. It wouldn't be worth the explanations. Slowly, she crawled over Spencer and under the covers, sighing contentedly as the genius immediately placed his arm under her head, allowing her to use his chest as a pillow, even as Derek rolled over and threw an arm around both of their waists. Ryley grinned against Spencer's chest, happy with the warmth surrounding her, and thinking she could definitely get used to falling asleep like this.


End file.
